Unexpectedly Bound
by keelhaulrose
Summary: Looking over the scroll was part of her job, and it seemed so harmless. Nothing could prepare her for what happened when a little blood finds her whisked to Asgard to meet her new bondmate, the God of Lies.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, everyone. As I have mentioned before, I was running the Hermione Smut Exchange on Livejournal this year. Not only did I run it, I wrote a story for it, which is one of the reasons I have been somewhat absent lately. This story is completed, nine chapters, and available in its entirety over there, but I will be posting one chapter a day until it is fully up here as well.**

**Without further ado...**

**Title:** Unexpectedly Bound

**Author: **to be announced

**Prompt:** Hermione accidentally binds herself to the most powerful men in the universe. How will they and she react?

**Summary**: Looking over the scroll was part of her job, and it seemed so harmless. Nothing could prepare her for what happened when a little blood finds her whisked to Asgard to meet her new bondmate, the God of Lies.

**Rating**: MA

**Pairing**: Hermione/Loki

**Genre**: Smut with substance, romance, drama

**Warnings**: Heterosexual lemons, profanity

**Spoilers:** Canon through DH, EWE, first Thor movie

**Word Count**: Approximately 44,000

**Author's Note**: Many thanks to ria_binger for being my beta and putting up with all my insanity while writing this.

This story stays with the cinematic Marvelverse, post Thor, pre Avengers

**Disclaimer:** I am not any of the long list of persons or entities that own either Harry Potter or Thor characters, settings, and situations. I'm borrowing the characters and returning them in as close to the same condition as possible. This work is done under fair use, and I make no profit from it.

* * *

><p>The lights went dim as the bank around her slowly closed. Out in the corridor she could hear goblins chatting as they walked to the exit, but she didn't care to pick up the conversation. Normally the lights going off was her cue to leave, but today she had no desire to go home. Part of it was the large haul the treasure hunters had brought in for her to look over. Her job was to study each object, figure out how old it was, and, most importantly put a value on it. The goblins were really only concerned with that last bit of information. Gringotts dealt with a lot of history, but for those who ran it history was only worth something if it was monetarily valuable. And as much as she loved her job, memorizing each piece and painstakingly researching the history, there was hardly a rush to it. The items weren't going anywhere until she was finished with them, and the goblins would rather she do her job well than do it quickly. The new cache of items was merely an excuse to stay late. The real reason she wanted to remain in her office, quiet and secluded, was because her ex-fiance was stopping by to get the last of the things he had left in their shared flat, and it was an event she was keen to miss.<p>

She had never expected to give the Prophet as many news stories as she had by her twenty-eighth birthday. Unfortunately she had a string of exes who, in and of themselves, were fodder for the gossip pages. First there was Ron. He lasted two years after the war, and when the furor died down, when the speaking tours ended and he was expected to start to settle back into life out of the limelight, the relationship started to fade. Their breakup catapulted them back into the spotlight, but that faded quickly as they insisted on having an amicable split. Her next lover was, once again, Viktor Krum. Viktor had lasted three years, and part of the reason they worked so well was because they didn't see each other very often. As the relationship progressed, however, he started to find more reasons to be around her, and she started to feel smothered. Viktor needed her, not for money or attention, but to be someone who overshadowed him whenever they walked into a room. He never liked the being the center of attention, and made sure his schedule was full if she couldn't attend an event with him. After Viktor she had taken a year off, started her new job, traveled a bit to learn some history, and settled herself independently. Her relationship with Draco Malfoy had been somewhat of a surprise even to her, he worked in the bank as an account manager, and over six months or so he started spending more time around her, inviting her out 'as friends', until, somehow, friends became more. Even more astonishing to her was that she didn't seem to mind being more than friends with her former enemy, and the relationship went smoothly for three years before he had asked her to marry him. Again she was surprised at how happy it made her, and in retrospect she felt she should have realized that things were too good to be true. She would never blame Draco for his bisexuality, people were what they were, but she could certainly blame him for the boyfriend he had kept in the shadows for most of their relationship. He cared for her, or at least claimed he did, but she knew she was an acceptable (if not ideal) relationship in a pure-blood society that had to stretch to accept a Muggle-born dating one of their own, and where same-sex relationships would often mean being disowned. Hermione didn't mind Draco's sexuality, but she did mind being an unknowing participant in his multiple relationships, and she had called the engagement off, though she didn't sink to giving the real reason to anyone, and she and Draco remained friends, even if she did not want the reminder that the engagement had failed.

And so she vowed to be working late that night. The items she was working on were all from an old tomb-like structure in Norway, though no bodies, caskets, nor evidence of anyone being buried there were ever found. Instead it seemed the structure was more an ancient monument to a great battle that supposedly happened when the area was being overrun by frost giants, and Odin himself came to save the day. She was thinking of taking a trip out to the structure herself to see the runes and examine everything where they found it, but the treasure hunters in the field had sent a few items for her to look over before making the decision to go out.

The first item she had looked at was a staff carved with runes talking about war, prayers for strength and guidance, and honor upon the death of the carrier. It had been used, one end was badly dented, though she would never be able to tell if it was from a rock or someone's skull. She dated the staff at about the same time as the building of the monument. There was some value to it, though it was nothing the goblins would want to hold onto in hopes of it gaining value. She valued it as three hundred galleons, sent one copy of her report to her superior, then put the staff and her information in a drawer for safekeeping.

She reached into the box, thinking she'd probably pull out another weapon, and was surprised when she came up with a stone tube that had a note attached to the top.

_Good luck, Granger, this is completely illegible. It looks like a four year old tried to write in runes._

_-Theodore Nott_

Sighing she looked over the markings on the tube, though this in and of itself was curious, as several of these indicated that the tube was much newer than the monument itself. Feeling a tingle of excitement that often accompanied a mysterious object she carefully pried the top from the tube, finding a surprisingly well-preserved bit of parchment inside. Slowly she rolled it flat, tucking the corners into a special holder to keep it from curling into the position it had held for so long. She looked at a few things first, the condition of the parchment, the type of parchment used, the type of ink, basic things that might help her date the thing. Then she looked at the writing itself.

"You're being thick, aren't you, Theo?" she muttered, scanning the paper. The runes were a more rare type, but they were easily legible, and Theo, who had always given her a run for her money in runes class, should have been able to translate with few problems.

She got to work documenting her finds. "Paper is a hemp and linen blend," she muttered as she wrote. "Not introduced to the area until the mid fourteenth century, though the monument was built in the tenth century, give or take a hundred years. Though there's always a chance we weren't the first to go in. It has been over a thousand years since it has been built."

She ran her fingers over the ink, brow furrowing. "Ink unknown," she grumbled irritably. "What the hell did they use on this? I've never seen it before." Pulling out a scrap piece of paper she started translating the scroll.

_She who can read this is blessed with great power, loyalty,_

_bravery, intelligence, cunning, and kindness._

_It is in her strength that two realms shall unite,_

_Asgard and Midgard, allies._

_She shall be bound to the son of Asgard_

_whose mind is restless and heart divided,_

_For she is the one who can light his path_

_through her compassion and patience._

_Their blood shall seal this contract,_

_and their realms brought together in their bond._

_She shall be given the gift of Asgard,_

_and he the best of Midgard._

"Well, that is a rather specific personals ad," she muttered, re-reading it, and noting at the bottom there was a scrawl of sorts that might be a signature, but that part was completely illegible. All she knew was it was in a different hand than the writing, the strokes lighter, the ink a dark red with a brownish tinge, the flourish with it was written suggested woman or a rather composed man. She looked at the words on her scrap paper again and chuckled, "But at least she gets a rather important man out of the deal. Though this paper is centuries old, so he's been waiting a long time, hasn't he?"

The light from the entrance hall went out, and she knew she was left alone in the building with just a few guards. If she stopped for takeaway at her favorite fish and chips place she would get back to her flat well after Draco was supposed to leave. She took her time packing things up, though her being careful with her work was nothing new. As she gathered up a stack of papers she felt something sharp slice into her finger, and she swore, dropping the papers as she felt blood drip from the cut. Pushing the stack aside she found her letter opener sitting underneath, though it was surprising it could do that much damage. Quickly she pulled her wand to heal the cut, then started sorting papers, realizing she had gotten a bit of blood on some of them.

"Damn," she muttered, realizing a couple of drops of blood had gotten on the parchment scroll. She picked up her wand again, hoping a _turgeo_ charm would be enough to save the paper when something odd happened. The blood appeared to soak into the scroll, disappearing as it did so, and in its place writing began to appear.

Her vision blurred as a sudden feeling of disorientation overcame her. She shook her head to banish the feeling, and looked at the paper again. The writing was looking very familiar, it was only partially through but she recognized it anywhere. Her signature.

"What the hell?" she muttered, trying to wave her wand and erase the scrawl, but her hand was trembling so hard she couldn't aim properly. Another wave passed over her, and she realized something very wrong was happening. She needed help, but knew trying to cast a patronus was useless. Her vision was so blurry she had to use her hands to feel her way towards the door, which was thankfully propped open. Stumbling into the hallway she called for help before the disorientation completely overtook her, and she passed out.

XXXXXXXXX

Loki was brooding in his chambers, confined there because it was better there than the dungeons. Odin wouldn't banish him, not as he did Thor, because he did not trust him to learn from the experience and knew there was a good chance the move would come back to haunt him. Odin knew better than pretty much anyone that if he enraged his son and sent him to another realm there was a good chance he'd be cleaning up a disaster. So he had forced Loki to help fix the Bifrost with a rather ingenious bit of magic, then confined him to Asgard, and the palace when not with Odin himself, where he could keep a close eye on his adoptive son, and hoped time would cover up the mess Loki had made during his short reign.

Being confined was almost worse, his future hanging in the balance, knowing that one false step would result in his imprisonment. Meanwhile his brother, a fool in every sense of the word, had publicly declared his distaste for the throne, leaving his father with quite the conundrum. One son who didn't want it, one son who proved he shouldn't be allowed to have it. For now he remained king, but that wouldn't last forever. Something would have to be done, and Frigga had once confided he was hoping that something drastic would happen that would show him the right path to follow. Loki smirked, looking over the city spread below him, and to the place where the newly-repaired Bifrost stood, waiting for its first use. It would happen. Thor's Midgardian plaything would age and die, and Thor would reluctantly accept his position as King, and after Loki would flee. Odin felt some sort of guilt towards him, resulting in an odd sort of compassion that was the reason he was in the strange limbo between freedom and imprisonment. Thor held no such feelings, and would realize the best way to deal with his wayward brother would be to lock him in a place where his mischief could not result in harm to others or the realm.

Something was happening on a veranda not far below his. A chatter of excited voices, a hint of speculation in their tone. He could see guards assembling, though their formations were not protective. They took the places they normally took when they had a visitor of particularly high importance, to make an impression, to emphasize the grandeur of everything around them. Far below the horses were being put to stable save for the purest white ones, which were being hitched to the most luxurious carriage available, servants cleaning the mess the horses had left in the grass. Everyone was suddenly readying themselves for quite the important visitor, and annoyance crashed over him as he realized no one had informed him of who was coming, or, more likely, why he should stay well away from them.

He knew who to summon to give him information. Sif held him in a relationship of sorts, one where they each fell quickly in and out of the others favor, though occasionally it occurred at the same time and during those times things would get quite heated between them before one of them, usually him, would anger the other and they would cool off for a while. Still, she knew what was going on most of the time, and he knew just which of her strings to pluck to get her to sing. Turning to leave he was startled to see his door already opening, Frigga entering alone, a wide smile upon her face.

"What is going on, Mother?" he asked, not moving towards her.

She didn't answer until she came to a stop in front of him, looking up into his face. "The bond has been sealed," she said softly.

"The bond..." he started, but a rush of anger and confusion passed over him as he realized what she meant. "Impossible," he spat.

"It is done," she assured him.

He shook his head and turned away from her. That damn scroll his father had insisted on leaving on Midgard. The thing was practically vibrating with magic when Odin confronted him, ordering him to seal his blood to the bond. He had done his best to avoid it, but he could see Odin's trust in him wavering as he stalled, and in the end he resorted to magically draining himself by subtly changing the contract with his blood offering. While none watching would see anything different, he had strengthened the requirements of 'the woman' to levels he thought impossible for a single human person to possess. The woman would have to be a contradiction of herself to exist, a warrior and a pacifist, highly intelligent but impulsive enough to agree to such a bond, someone who carried great compassion but knew when to hold that compassion in need of a harder solution, someone who held unwavering loyalty to her loved ones but would be willing to go against those she to whom she was most loyal. And so powerful she would be able to hold her own against him. He thought he was safe. That no Midgardian would ever be able to meet the high standards.

"You are wrong," he muttered, looking out at the rainbow bridge as though he expected her to appear from the air.

"Your father is quite assured that it is happening. You will be required to greet her."

"I have no intentions to meet _her_ because there is no _her_, I assured it."

She smiled knowingly. "You underestimate them. It has taken many years, but she does exist."

"I should not be held to the thing. I was so young when forced to agree to that damn bond."

"And yet you made it, and you are now called to it."

"Some idiot girl probably found the thing and accidentally cut herself on it. I should not be held to some sort of mistake."

She placed a hand on his shoulder. "You should meet her before you make such a judgment about her."

"Meeting her makes me seem compliant with this farce," he shot back.

"It is no farce. You are bound, as is she."

He set his jaw and started planning his escape route.

"You will accompany me downstairs," she said firmly. "The woman will arrive soon. I shall be waiting outside your door."

He shot her a look of deep anger, but she stared right back at him before turning and leaving. As soon as the door was closed the small table next to his bed flew after her, slamming into the thick wood and shattering. He stood, rigid, as he weighed his options. First, he could run. Find somewhere on a different realm where he could blend in with the native population and wait until the Midgardian could insist he abandoned his side of the bond and she'd be able to call the contract broken, as it was Asgard who had made the offer to begin with. But, upon agreeing, she had been given an extended lifespan, among other 'gifts' to put her body more on par with his so their years together weren't severely limited. That route was unappealing in that it could be centuries before he could return, indeed he'd have to wait for Odin, or Thor if he became king, was willing to admit they had lost control over him and that she needn't wait any longer, and when he did return he'd forever be labeled a coward. He knew enough of Midgardian politics to know they had their own problems and would not hold the girl to any standard, very few of them even knew there was another realm. Still, he did not want 'coward' added to the many labels his realm saddled him with, so leaving was not an option. That left two options; convince the girl to run long enough for him to find a way to break the bond that had been offered by his realm and accepted by her, or actually going through with it, pretending to sincerely enjoy the bond, carrying on as though she were changing him, then arranging an 'accident' for her later, after sufficiently convincing everyone around him he was so enamored with the girl he couldn't have anything to do with her untimely death. Poor Loki, finally changing for the better, his love torn from him. Everyone would be scrambling to make sure he didn't start an inter-realm incident in his grief for any whispers of suspicion to go anywhere.

Growling in frustration he went to change into his ceremonial clothes. He knew he would have to meet the girl before making a final decision. He put up with a lot of frustrating things in his life but there was a good chance the girl would be too annoying for even him to put up with for long.

XXXXXXXXXXX

The first thing she became aware of was something cold pressed against her head. She came-to rather rapidly after that, blinking a few times to orient herself, and found herself in the security office of Gringotts. She was in a small room of the office used during the day by the head of Security, but it was night, and there were only two guards on duty in the office part of the building. They were perched just outside the door, whispering to each other, and entered when they saw her coming to and removing the ice pack they had placed on her head.

"Miss Granger?" one of the guards crouched in front of her. "How are you feeling?"

"Remarkably well, actually," she replied softly, because it wasn't a lie. Something about her felt different, stronger, and prepared for anything, like the feeling one gets when waking up from a long rest.

"Do you know what happened?"

"I, um," she thought quickly, not wanting to tell anyone about the odd scroll. "I opened an old canister. I probably should have made sure nothing was in it, but it looked fairly inconspicuous. There must have been some form of noxious gas or dust inside, and I inhaled it. But I'm feeling fine now."

"You should get checked out at St. Mungos," he said, concerned.

"I will. I promise. I'll go there as soon as I leave here."

"I'll escort you, ma'am."

"No, really, I'm fine," she insisted.

He looked at her skeptically. "I have an incident report filled out, ma'am. Just let me add what you've said, and that you're refusing escort to the hospital, then you'll need to sign it."

"Go ahead," she nodded, and watched as he walked out of the office. The second guard decided to try his luck.

"Are you sure, ma'am? We were about to summon a healer here," he said, concern still thick in his voice.

"I'm sure," she nodded. "Really, I feel great. Whatever it was must have been old and less potent. It happens all the time, the curse breakers miss dangerous substances because it's not a spell. I was foolish for not wearing a mask while opening something, but I'm fine. Really."

She signed the paperwork and went to leave, first stopping in her office to pick up the scroll and carefully tuck it into her bag. Reaching out to push the door open she was shocked to find the door moved in front of her hand, she didn't have to actually touch it. A little frightened she pushed the second door open with her hip and stumbled out onto the street. It was a misty night, so Diagon Alley was less populated than usual. Those who were out walked with quick steps, staying close to the buildings so they could stay under the awnings, cloaks held over heads or tight over clothes. She threw her jacket on, and pulled an umbrella out of her bag. She hurried to the Leaky Cauldron, not wanting to use magic out of fear that something was actually wrong with her. She hurried through the pub without a word, then stepped onto the Muggle street beyond. She hadn't made it five steps before she saw something shimmering in the road in the intersection in front of her. Stepping forward she saw a giant circular pattern shimmering softly, though no one else seemed to notice it. Struck still she stared at the thing, then decided she had enough weird things in one day, and turned the other way, walking to the nearest tube station. Sitting alone and in silence during her ride she looked at her hands, feeling a new sort of power running through her skin. It was confusing and terrifying, so she focused on trying to keep herself calm.

Walking out of the tube station she saw the same shimmering pattern on the street, and this time she had no hesitations about running towards the safety of her home. Passing the last major intersection near her flat she saw the same pattern, seemingly invisible to the cars driving over it. Once again she skirted around it, and ran towards her flat, the roads getting less busy as she neared her building, but she stopped dead as she rounded the final corner. There was another of the shimmering circles right outside her door. There wasn't a way for her to enter her building without crossing it or using magic. It took her several moments to decide to try to figure the circle out. Carefully she approached it, each step making her skin feel more electrified. Taking a deep breath she stepped on the outer part of the circle, and slowly the thing started to solidify, seemingly carving itself into the gravel of the street and sidewalk. Above her head storm clouds started appearing out of nowhere. Every part of her wanted to run, but somehow her brain wouldn't comply. Part of her _wanted_ to know what was going on, wanted to figure out the puzzle of the scroll. Another part knew that her life would change completely if she didn't leave the circle, and it was terrifying enough that she spun several times, trying to figure out what to do. Setting her jaw and summoning whatever Gryffindor bravery she still possessed she slowly walked towards the middle and looked up at the seemingly violent electrical storm above her. Without warning a column of lightning and swirling clouds enveloped her and lifted her away from the Earth.


	2. Chapter 2

Thor, Sif, and the Warriors Three rode out to the Bifrost, sent by Odin to collect the woman who had, for some reason they did not know and didn't want to begin to understand, bound herself to Loki. The city was in an uproar with rumors, people starting to make their way to the palace, hoping to catch sight of the mysterious visitor and see if there was any truth to the gossip. Thor had his orders; they were to collect the woman and escort her to the throne room, where her bond with his brother would be publicly announced and, if Odin had his way, a formal engagement would be offered, though Thor knew the chances of Loki offering such a thing were minimal, if any such chance actually existed.

_Poor woman_, he thought. _She knows not the quagmire which she has entered._

They stopped on the Rainbow Bridge and dismounted, approaching Heimdall, who looked troubled. Thor stepped forward, wishing to have a talk with the gate keeper.

"What can you tell me of the woman?" Thor asked quietly.

"Nothing," Heimdall replied, a hint of worry in his voice.

"Old friend..."

"She is shrouded from my vision," he continued sharply. "Each time I attempt to turn my focus on her, I am blocked by an unknown force, and see nothing but the street nearby."

Thor looked at him, stunned. "Do you think it is cause for concern?"

"There are many on Midgard hidden from my sight at times. There are some I never catch a glimpse of until they have reached adulthood. I strongly suspect there are some even I have never seen. I do believe they are different than most, they have ways to hide themselves from outside view, though what kind of magic they employ, I cannot name."

"So, the girl is magic?" he asked, now sounding concerned himself.

"I do not know. They hide their gifts, though rarely I am allowed a glimpse of sticks that cast light, and that can do many different things. Magical instruments they carry, and use in protection or as tools or weapons."

"Perhaps I should speak to Father..." he started, but Heimdall sucked in a quick breath. "Can you see her, my friend?"

"Yes," he answered, staring at something millions of miles away as though it were just in front of him. He slowly moved forward into the Bifrost, and they both held their breath as it came to life once more. "I have seen her before. She is one who carries a wand."

Thor scowled. "She is magic?" he asked softly, but he did not get a reply.

"She suspects," Heimdall muttered. "She does not want to answer our summons. She runs, feeling like something is wrong with her very skin."

"That paper exchanged our power for her bond and link between our realms," he said. "It must have took hold as soon as she bound herself."

"She is frightened," he continued. "The bond was not intentional. I see her examining the cut that forged the blood bond, knowing she had no intention of doing such a thing."

"Then I must see Father before you bring her..."

"I have my orders," he said. "If she chooses to enter the circle, I shall bring her."

"She could be dangerous to our world."

"It will be dangerous for hers if she continues to refuse. The bond has been forged, in one manner or another, and it must be addressed."

"We must discern her intentions..."

"A girl who tries to run from the unknown is rarely a threat to it."

"Unless she feels trapped. Those who feel they have no escape are often the most dangerous."

They stood in silence a moment before Heimdall announced, "She is coming," before opening the Bifrost.

The light in front of them was blinding, and a figure approached them rapidly, though she landed in front of them as though she had done it dozens of times before. Thor looked at the woman, who did indeed look frightened. Her clothes were damp, and her hair had pulled free from her bun in several places, giving her an unkempt look. And still, he knew that, should the bond be affirmed, he was looking at his brother's bride, and so he bowed low.

XXXXXXX

She landed in a large, domed structure, and thought first how the landing was very similar to using a Portkey. Two huge men stood before her, a dark-skinned one with incredibly captivating eyes, who was removing a sword from an apparatus in the floor, and a blonde one with a hammer attached to his belt, who bowed low to her. Behind them three men and a woman craned their necks to look at her. Each was wearing what she could only define as armor, with several visible weapons on each of them, and capes seemed to be in fashion.

"Where am I?" she demanded to any of them willing to give her an answer.

"Asgard, milady," the blonde one answered.

"That's what I was afraid you'd say," she muttered, still not moving. "I think there's been a terrible mistake."

"We are to take you up to the palace."

"I would really rather clear this up and go home," she replied.

"None here have that power," he replied, almost sympathetic. "But we shall escort you to the one who does."

"Lead the way, I guess," she chuckled nervously, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

He stepped forward, holding an arm to her, and she reluctantly took it, allowing him to lead her out to a waiting carriage, escorted by his four companions. She stopped upon exiting the structure, eyes darting around but not daring to believe what she saw. She was standing on a bridge that seemed to shimmer with the colors of the rainbow, which lead across a sea on the edge of what appeared to be a floating island of sorts, into a city unlike anything she had ever seen before or would ever see again. She wanted to stay there, to take in every beautiful detail, but the gentle pressure on her hand had her following the man again. He sent his horse ahead and helped her in, sitting across from her as she sunk into one seat.

"Can I ask your name?" she asked timidly as the carriage started to move.

"Thor, milady."

"Thor," she repeated, shock registering on her face. "Like the God of Thunder, that Thor?"

He chuckled, "That is the title that has been bestowed upon me, milady. And your name?"

"Hermione Granger."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Granger."

She decided to ignore the title. "And where are we heading?"

"The palace, milady. To meet the Allfather and the one your are bound to."

"And who am I bound to?" she raised an eyebrow.

He looked at her in surprise, he had never seen the scroll that bound his brother, but he thought Odin would at least give the girl a name. "My brother, milady. Loki."

Norse mythology was not her favorite subject to study, but she remembered that name from when she was younger. "The God of Lies?" she asked, shock registering on her face.

A half-smile crossed his face. "Yes," he answered simply.

She looked out the window again, lost in thought for a long moment before she quickly turned back to him. "You said we're meeting the Allfather?" she asked, a hint of panic in her voice.

"Odin Allfather," he nodded.

"Bloody hell," she muttered diving for her bag. She quickly pulled the messy bun free, then sprayed her hair with something that tamed some of the bushiness. She laid out several pins and a holder on the seat next to her, and brushed her hair back into a ponytail, which she then twisted into something a little more formal looking. Reaching in again she pulled out a small makeup kit, and Thor craned his neck to try to get a glimpse of the size of the bag on the inside as she quickly applied light makeup.

"Close your eyes," she ordered.

"Pardon me?"

"My clothes make me look like a drowned rat, and I have no intention of going in front of your Allfather looking so disheveled. Close your eyes, unless you think your brother wouldn't mind you seeing me in my unmentionables."

He chuckled, but did as he was told. She pulled a floral print dress and a pair of black heeled shoes out of the depths of the bag, an outfit she had placed in the bag while still engaged to Draco in case of an unexpected date night, and she mentally thanked herself for forgetting to take it out after their breakup as she quickly changed. She stored her wand in a hidden pocket near her right hand. As the palace started to loom over the carriage she finished the look with a simple necklace and earrings.

"You can look now," she muttered as she started shoving her wet clothes into the bag without much thought as to where it landed.

His eyebrows shot to his hairline in surprise as he looked over her transformation. "That must be quite the bag of tricks," he remarked.

"It serves its purpose," she replied vaguely, looking out the window as the carriage started to slow to a stop. Thor hopped out first, and held a hand to help her down. Looking around as she climbed out she saw dozens of people on the steps leading into the palace, all looking towards her, and immediately she heard voices start to talk about her. When Thor offered her an arm she clutched it, allowing him to whisk her inside, down a corridor towards even more voices, stopping as they came to a large set of doors. Thor whispered to a guard, who slid though a crack in the door. The room beyond quieted as she heard her name announced, and the door swung wide. She stood straight up in terror, trying to force her to feet to move forward, but her body wouldn't respond.

"Come, Lady Granger," Thor whispered, pulling her forward into the room, which was nearly filled with people from floor to ceiling. Two rows of guards made a pathway to a throne larger than her imagination could design, set high upon a platform, an intimidating man with only one eye focusing on her as she moved forward. At the base of the throne stood two more people, one on either side. To her left was a welcoming looking woman, the type of person she wanted to walk towards. But she forced herself to look to her right, to the intimidating man dressed in black, gold, and green, wearing a golden helmet with horns she'd find unnecessary and humorous under any other circumstance. He was looking at her with a gaze that was equal parts interest and anger, and she didn't need anyone to tell her this was the man she had somehow found herself bound to. She wanted to limit all forms of contact, including eye, but found she couldn't tear her eyes away from him until she stopped at the base of the throne, and looked up at the one-eyed man, who stood and started down the steps towards her.

"Lady Granger," she could feel his voice reverberating through her bones as it boomed around the room. "Welcome to Asgard!"

She jumped as the room let off a loud cheer, but it died down rapidly.

"Many years ago my son, Loki," he motioned at the man in the horned helmet, who did nothing to acknowledge his name, "agreed to bind himself to the very best of Midgard in hopes that, through their bind, our realms will have a basis for peace."

"You are severely overestimating my importance," she murmured, looking down, but he didn't appear to have heard her.

"Now is the ideal time to form such a bond, as Midgard is just starting to come into the knowledge of our existence once more. We must start to form peace between our realms now, before distrust is sown."

She shifted uncomfortably in place, wondering how the hell she got herself into this mess, and praying for a Potter-esque stroke of brilliance to get her out with minimal problems. She felt her knees starting to grow weak again, and she swayed on the spot. Odin was saying something else, but it was like she was trying to listen to him through a pool of water. She held her hands out as her body wobbled again, and suddenly she felt a hand on her back.

"Are you alright?" a soft voice asked, and she looked up to see Loki next to her. The concern in his voice didn't reach his eyes, but he was holding her steady. When he wasn't standing there, looking intimidating, she realize he really was quite attractive, but attractive wasn't enough to make her want to keep the bond in place.

"It's all so much," she replied in a whisper, body wobbling again as she threatened to faint.

"Come. We should get you somewhere to rest," he said in a purr-like voice as he started to lead her from the room. He had a naturally soothing voice with a tone that could probably get anyone in the vicinity to agree to anything he said...

"Probably part of the reason for the title," she breathed.

"Pardon me?" he asked.

"Nothing," she shook her head, feeling a blush take over her face.

He steered her into a room with large seats around a fire. "You should take care to hold your tongue," he warned as he helped her lower into one of the chairs. She heard several others enter the room, and someone pressed a cold glass into her hand, and she gratefully took a long drink of water. The room slowly came into focus. Odin, Frigga, and Thor had entered the room and taken the three other seats, but Loki remained standing next to her.

"This is all a big misunderstanding," she said to break the silence. When no one started speaking she continued, "I work at a bank. My job is to study historical objects and assign a value to them. Some of our treasure hunters found your scroll, I opened it to look at it, and I accidentally cut myself, and dropped some blood..."

"Were you able to read the scroll?" Odin asked.

She looked at him, confused. "Of course. I studied ancient runes for years."

"There was magic infused in the parchment itself," he informed her. "We understand this is a very intimidating and important position, and as such we were not keen in an average woman binding herself to us. Only the one whom the scroll described would be able to look upon the true words and seal her bond."

A look of realization passed over her face. "Theo said it looked like gibberish," she sighed. "I guess I should have thought about that. But the fact remains that I didn't bind myself voluntarily."

"It is not unheard of, for fate to make decisions that we ourselves would think unwise."

She glanced at Loki long enough to see him roll his eyes.

"We should leave them," Frigga announced, standing. "As partners they must be given time to properly meet each other. It is an honor, Lady Granger, to welcome you, and I bid you call upon me should you find yourself in need of anything."

Hermione refrained from asking if that included a way out. Soon she found herself alone with Loki, who only moved when they were alone, crossing the room to pour them both glasses of wine.

"You are not very thrilled with this, either," she remarked, taking a glass he held out to her.

He chuckled softly as he sat, pulling off his helmet and placing it on the ground between them. "I had nearly forgotten about that scroll. I thought such a woman did not exist, and so I confess I laid my confidence in the bond never being activated, intentional or otherwise."

"I can see where this might be a little upsetting, then."

"Arranged marriage is just as popular a concept here as it is in your realm."

"Ah, so more popular than anyone is willing to admit to?" she asked with a half-smile.

"It does occasionally occur. Business or power deals. Though most are free to choose their own path."

"So, if we're both unhappy with this, why don't we just call it off? I'll take all the blame, I didn't mean to bind myself to you, not that I'm saying you're a bad person to be bound to, you're obviously..." she stopped herself by biting her lip.

"Continue," he ordered, one eyebrow raised.

"Not as big a prat as the history books have led me to believe," she finished meekly.

"I doubt you have had enough time to make that judgment."

"Touche. Still, can't we just call this off? I'll claim the scroll as worthless, buy it from the bank for a galleon, and tuck it into the back of my vault. Once I die it'll be broken, and you'll be free."

"Blood bonds are not that simply broken, surely even those on your realm have some idea of the serious nature usually involved."

"Nothing is ever as simple as it should be," she muttered, taking a drink.

He studied her for a long moment. "How did you read that scroll?"

She raised an eyebrow, as though the answer the answer should be obvious. "Well, it all started when I was about three, when my mum and dad started teaching me letters and sounds..."

"How were you _worthy_ of reading that scroll?" he snapped.

"I guess it's because I'm loyal, brave, intelligent, kind, cunning, and whatever hell else was on the bloody thing."

"You are so young..."

"Don't mistake my age for inexperience," she said shortly. "I fought in my first battle before I could legally have a drink. I've been in several battles since then. I have been hunted, captured, tortured, and escaped. I have literally destroyed a piece of a man's soul. And that was before I turned nineteen."

He looked at her, intrigued.

"It was fight or die, and our enemies didn't care that we were underage. In fact, I think they preferred that we were too young to know how to properly fight back."

"Yet you survived," he muttered, looking her over as though he hadn't seen her properly before.

"Isn't that our greatest instinct? To push through the bad times and cling to whatever we currently call life?" she replied softly.

He didn't reply.

"I'm curious about something. If you're so against this binding, why did you sign the scroll in the first place?"

He looked away from her, his face hardening. "Father does many things I do not agree with, but I go along with them because it is my duty to obey my king."

If there was any truth about what had been written about him she knew she should take that statement with a grain of salt, but she didn't want to press the issue. "No one should have the power to take away a choice like this from you," she murmured.

"People on your realm have done it for centuries," he said with a dry chuckle.

"People have done a lot of cruel things for a long time on my realm, that doesn't make them right," she hissed.

"Be that as it may, I faced a choice. Sign the scroll, or face father's distrust. I was young, I didn't see it as much a choice as an obligation I must perform in order to make my father happy."

"How young?" she asked.

"Equivalent to your years? About seventeen. Perhaps slightly younger. Not quite old enough to be considered an adult, but old enough to have obligation and responsibility thrust upon me."

"That's not fair," she whispered sympathetically.

He scoffed and stood, walking to the window.

After another sip of wine she followed, standing just out of his reach as he looked over the city and sea below. She watched for a while as well, seeing citizens walking around, going about their lives. It really was beautiful, like looking over a place that was both a few centuries behind, and yet thousands of years in the future. Everything was large, extravagant, and warm. Every part of her wanted to stay as long as she could, to explore, to talk to the citizens about their history and the realm's link with Midgard. And then there was Loki himself, who so far seemed angry at the situation and somewhat hostile towards her, but there was something else, as though he were waiting for someone to crack the surface and explore who he really was underneath. She suspected his antagonistic attitude stemmed from something much deeper than being bound by the scroll, and she wanted to discover what was making him so angry. He reminded her of Harry during his most moody stage, when he was still linked to Voldemort, and she suspected that was the reason part of her wanted to stay, to help him.

Damn her curiosity, compassion, and Harry training her to be the unwavering support.

"Are you impressed?" he asked without looking at her.

"You know I am," she replied. "You know there's nothing like this on my realm. It is beautiful, but it's not my home. And I don't care what that scroll says, I have no desire to be the link between Asgard and Midgard. I wouldn't even begin to know how. To most of Earth I'm nothing, a face that gets easily lost in the crowd. I can't change that, nor do I want to. Whoever put the magic on that scroll severely underestimated who could be bound by it. I can't handle this responsibility. Please don't take this as a slight against you, I really don't have those sort of feelings for you either one way or the other. I just can't stay here any longer," she said, suddenly disappearing. He stared at the spot in surprise for a moment, then felt a smile break across his face. The girl had just gotten much more interesting.

Hermione landed on the rainbow bridge, and said a mental thanks that she was able to Apparate properly in the strange environment. Her sudden appearance seemed of great interest to the gatekeeper, who straightened up intimidatingly as she approached.

"I'd like to go home, please," she said with as much authority as she could muster.

"The king has not authorized that," Heimdall replied.

"I don't give a damn what the king has authorized," she replied, feeling annoyance bubbling up inside her. "Send me home."

"My orders come from my king," he replied again.

"I don't have time... I'm going home. I'm sorry I have to do it this way," she snapped, pulling her wand out. He tried to react, tried to put up his sword in time, but it did little to stop the _Imperius_ curse she put him under. His eyes glassed over and he froze in place.

"Let me go home," she ordered without dropping her wand. Without a word Heimdall turned and led the way into the domed structure, taking his place on the raised platform in the center. She looked behind her as she took her position on the far side, and saw Loki standing on the bridge, just watching, not trying to get closer or interfere. She turned away as the dome began spinning, and she was quickly whisked back to Earth.

XXXXXXXXXXX

_To think I wanted nothing to do with the girl, _he chuckled to himself as he watched the Bifrost slow. She had gotten quite interesting in the last few minutes they had spent together, and he was starting to see how she had risen to the standards he had set with his magic so long ago. So the girl did not fight with fists or sword, she fought with magic, or, more accurately, she avoided a fight with magic. The type of magic that allowed her to take control of someone as talented and powerful as Heimdall, and use him as her puppet. How very intriguing she became.

The gatekeeper walked out of the Bifrost looking stunned. He looked at Loki, and for a fraction of a second fear crossed his features before they fell emotionless.

"I had no intention..." he started.

"I know," Loki interrupted. "Father did want a powerful match, though I am sure this was not his plan."

"If she ever does that to me again..." there was anger thick in his voice.

"I will ensure she does no such thing," he promised, keeping his features even. "She felt kidnapped and trapped, and she did what she felt she needed to do to escape."

His eyes narrowed, but he nodded once.

"I must go speak to my father. I ask you tell no one about what she did to you. Should someone ask why you allowed her to go, I pray you tell them it was I who authorized her departure."

He considered the request for a long moment, but between his pity on Hermione's situation and his desire to not let anyone know how she had bested him he agreed.

"Do not attempt to bring her back until I speak to Father," he said as he turned and started walking away. When he made it back to the throne room he found it thankfully deserted save for his family, who looked up at him expectantly.

"I have allowed Lady Granger to leave," he announced. "She felt as though she could not handle the enormity of our situation in a foreign place."

He knew his family well enough that their expressions at this news were not unexpected. His mother beamed, proud at his show of compassion. His father scowled, annoyed that he had not been consulted. And Thor looked skeptical, as though nothing his brother said could be taken at face value. He let them digest the information a few more seconds before continuing.

"I request permission to go to her and explore the situation together on Midgard, where she will feel more comfortable."

Again he could have scripted the reactions. To Frigga the request was a non-issue, of course he'd be allowed to spend time with the woman she hoped would help rein him in and give him a tie he didn't currently feel he had. To Odin the request was troubling, and all possible alternatives would be considered before he agreed. Thor would agree, but would send a either a guard or a tail to keep him in line, and would have fighters ready if Loki put a single toe out of line.

"My only intentions are towards Hermione. This situation has come as quite the shock to her, and she is showing some resistance. This is her first such experience with such a bond. Should I spend some time with her I believe I can ease her into the idea, and I do believe she will be a powerful ally."

Frigga smiled warmly and looked at her husband, and Loki fought the smile crossing his own face. Odin may be king, but even the most powerful kings will often bend to their queens. Being careful not to show any form of reaction he stood silently for a minute as his father considered the situation.

"You may go to her," Odin finally said. "You are only to go to her. You will be watched..."

"The girl can hide," Thor told him. "Heimdall said he could not see her in certain places."

"Then you are to make yourself seen, for if there is any hint of you laying falsehoods..."

"I assure you, Father, I only want to get to know Hermione," Loki responded somberly. "I am prepared to follow all precautions and restrictions you wish to place on me."

That won his father's approval, and within minutes he was striding from the room, preparing for his trip to Midgard. The real game was about to begin, as he had to find a woman who could hide so efficiently. It would almost be disappointing if it were easy.


	3. Chapter 3

Somewhere between realms she lost control over the gatekeeper, but it was too late for the Bifrost to stop. She had changed the destination to an industrial park so it wouldn't leave her right outside her flat. She had no intention of going there until she was sure it was safe. The moment her feet hit the ground she cast a spell to keep herself from being seen, then Apparated to the first place she could think of where she would be safe from being found, but also would have access to someone who might help her with her problem.

Draco's parents had given him a French chateau when he graduated Hogwarts, but Draco had left it to the elves that lived and worked there most of the time. He wanted to be closer to work, and, though he wouldn't admit it, Hermione knew he placed a lot of the blame for what happened with Voldemort on his parent's desperation to hold onto their wealth and status. They had been quite pleased with his engagement to Hermione, they saw her as their ticket back into society's good graces. She suspected they were just as pleased with the breakup, though in public they lamented she would never be joining their family. After the breakup Draco started living at the chateau until he could find a flat he liked closer to London. Of everyone she knew she was sure Draco knew the most about bonding, and the chateau was magically protected, so she was sure Asgard wouldn't be able to find her there.

"Hermione," Draco smiled sleepily as he walked down the stairs dressed in his night clothes, looking confused, as she was escorted in by Harold, the elderly house-elf who had been promoted to the cushy position for his final years at Hermione's insistence. The house-elves still took care of the property despite her objections, though Draco had given them nicer quarters including a recreation room, wages, and insisted on one day off a week.

"I need your help," she muttered when they were alone in his sitting room.

"Something bad has happened," he said, motioning for her to sit next to him.

"Am I being that obvious?" she grumbled, dropping into the spot he indicated.

"Besides the fact that you show up here at two in the morning looking like a good breeze could make you jump out of your skin? You've never been able to hide your stress very well. What's going on?"

"What do you know about binding magic?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Did you have a few too many and accidentally bind yourself to someone?"

"I had nothing to drink, and it was a complete accident. I was tricked in a way."

"Who?"

"Not yet. What do you know?"

He summoned a bottle of Ogden's finest and poured them both generous measures before starting. "Binding magic has fallen somewhat out of style around here, save for the relatively minor binding that still performed at most weddings. That kind is easily broken in the event of a divorce, so it's really somewhat worthless, but most bindings are pretty difficult, if not impossible to break. What kind of binding did you go through?"

She bit her lip.

"That bad?"

"Blood," she murmured.

"Blood?" he repeated in shock. "Fucking hell, Hermione, that's the hardest kind to break. What the hell made you think it would be okay to perform a blood binding?"

"I already told you it was an accident!" she protested.

"Tell me what happened."

She took a deep breath. "Theo sent me some items to catalogue from this monument of sorts at a site in Norway. One was this scroll in an old stone tube. I ascertained the scroll was likely much newer than the monument itself, translated it, and decided I was done working for the night. I went to clean up, and I was cut on my letter opener. Some of the blood dropped onto the scroll, and apparently that was enough to activate it."

"How old?"

"In due time. Is there any way to get out of this? I didn't mean to bind myself."

"Honestly? I don't know. Most blood bindings are only breakable in extremely limited circumstances, and even then it's dependent on the skill of the one initiating the binding. Do you know who wrote the scroll?"

"Yes," she snorted.

"Are they skilled or powerful?"

"You could say that."

"You do know if you want my help with this you're going to have to be a little more forthcoming with information?" he sighed, clearly becoming irritated.

"I'm sorry, I just don't know what to do right now!" she snapped. "All I was trying to do was get some work done, and the next thing I know I'm bound to a bloody prince..."

"A prince?" his eyebrow shot to his hairline. "There are no princes in our world."

She felt her cheeks flush pink. "I know," she murmured.

"Oh, please don't tell me it was a certain half-blood prince..."

"Merlin, no!" she shouted. "Though, to be honest, that might be preferential. At least then I'd know exactly what I had gotten myself into. I mean, I have stories, but that doesn't mean they're all true..."

"Okay, you're going to have to give me a name," he said, looking so curious he was leaning towards her.

"Loki. I'm not sure his last name, but traditionally I'd believe it's Odinson."

"Haven't heard of him. Where's he from?"

"Asgard."

"Where?"

"It's, um, it's a different realm."

"What?"

"Different realms. Like different planets in different dimensions. There's some old stories about them coming here about a thousand years ago to fight off these beings from a third realm called frost giants, that's supposedly where this monument came from..."

"Hold on," he placed a hand over her mouth. "Are you talking about aliens?"

"In a sense. It's complicated."

"Well, then explain it slowly. Don't go Granger on me, where you assume I know any back information."

She sighed in annoyance, and spent the next half hour going over everything she remembered, and what had been confirmed by her short trip. She watched him closely as she spoke, and his body language said it all. His surprise turned to resignation of the enormity of the situation. By the end he was pinching the bridge of his nose and sighing every so often.

"You really stepped in it this time, Hermione," he groaned, standing and going to the Floo. "I'm calling Theo, he'll be better at this."

A few minutes later Theodore Nott, who was quite irritated at being woken so early in the morning, came through in a cloud of soot and profanity.

"This better be fucking important," he growled. "I'm due back at the site in three hours."

"Hermione got herself into a bit of a pickle due to one of those artifacts you sent her," Draco informed him shortly.

"Which one?" Theo turned to Hermione, his anger sliding off his face as concern replaced it. They weren't good friends, but they were friends enough he would feel guilty if something bad happened to her because he had let a cursed item slip past him.

"That scroll you couldn't read," she replied. "I could read it. It was a blood contract. I accidentally dropped blood on it."

"That thing was four or five centuries old," he pointed out. "Who is still around to hold you to any kind of blood contract?"

"It was Asgardian."

Theo looked stunned for a long moment. Part of the reason he had gotten the job in Norway was because of his knowledge of the ancient myths and legends of the area. While he took them all with a grain of salt, the look on Hermione's face told him she wasn't lying. Still, he asked, "It's real?"

"I was there a few hours ago."

"You walked among gods?"

"More or less."

"Do you have the translation?" he asked.

She reached into her bag and pulled out the scroll, the translation still tucked behind it. As she untucked the translation he asked, "Is that the same scroll?"

"Of course it is," she replied, looking at him as though he had gone mental.

"I can read it now," he said slowly.

"I can read it, too," Draco announced. "It's in English."

She looked down and was shocked to see he was right. The words has changed to her native tongue. "It must have changed so anyone who looks at it knows what I agreed to. It had a spell on it before that only a woman who fit the conditions could read it, that way just anyone couldn't bind themselves."

Theo and Draco took a moment to read, then re-read the scroll.

"It doesn't get specific. Would I know the name?" Theo asked.

"Loki."

He exhaled loudly. "Didn't get enough trouble at Hogwarts, you had to go and bind yourself to the troublemaker in that group?" he joked to cover his discomfort.

"As I said, it wasn't voluntary," she shot back in annoyance.

"Troublemaker?" Draco asked.

"Known here as the God of Lies," Theo told him. "Bit of a trickster. Could out Slytherin a Slytherin, to be honest."

"When you step in it, Hermione, you step in it deep," he chuckled, looking at her.

"Not voluntarily!" she growled.

"I don't think they're going to care much about that. If they made it so only someone who could read the scroll could be bound by the scroll, you have to admit it seems like a hell of a coincidence that the first person who could read it in years just so happened to get cut and drop blood on the thing. Tell me about what you did up there," he demanded.

She told him the short version.

"And they let you leave?"

"Not exactly. I put their gatekeeper under the Imperius curse and made him let me leave."

"That wasn't very intelligent of you," he sighed.

"It was the only way to get out of there. No one seemed keen on letting me leave until we had sorted the binding out, and I wasn't keen on sorting the binding out without studying it first."

"You mean until you found a way to get out of it."

"Would you like to be bound to someone you don't know who doesn't even live on the same planet as you?" she snapped again.

"Of course not. But I'm going to be honest with you. I'm not sure there's a way to break this. It's a different realm, and I'm assuming a different magic. Even if it's the same, they're a lot more powerful than we are. And, in essence, you agreed to the contract. It's really hard to agree to something to turn around not a day later and try to break it."

"I didn't voluntarily agree to it!" she said through clenched teeth.

"Was anyone there to see you?"

"No. I was working alone in my office."

"So they have to take your word for it."

"I could use a pensive," she suggested.

"Memories can be modified, and much better than the slap-dash job Slughorn did with his memory," he pointed out.

She bit her lip and wrung her hands.

"Look at it from their perspective. They probably got excited that the bond was activated after so many years. You go and you're hesitant, but they probably expect that. You're not accustomed to their power and their magic..."

"And there were bloody thousands of them in one room when I got there," she grumbled.

"They leave you with Loki, hoping he'll help calm your fears, and instead you leave him, curse their gatekeeper, and flee the realm. I can't imagine them not taking that as an insult. And you've put them in a very tight place. If they come down for you they'll have to kidnap you..."

"They'd have to find me," she scoffed. "I think they have problems seeing magical areas. They didn't try to contact me until I was in the Muggle world."

"How soon after?"

"Pretty much as soon as I walked out of the Leaky Cauldron."

He nodded as he thought. "So they'd have to find you. Chances are that would take a bit of a force, one that would be noticed. They'd have to expose themselves to our world, and admit they are there to take a young girl who doesn't want to go with them and marry her off to one of their own. That is not a popular action in this area of the world. If you claim you were tricked into signing there's very few people around here who would argue you should go. It could cause a real mess between the realms, something they seem to be trying to avoid. You're going to cause a distrust of our realm, and there's a good chance any protection they feel towards us is going to end, but I don't think they'd risk coming down to get you just yet, however you need to avoid ever going there again, especially voluntarily."

"How do I do that? If one of them comes here to get me..."

"You hide," he replied grimly. "You stay in the magical world because the gatekeeper will see you the moment you walk into a place with no magical protection. You must have some sort of trace on you, something to put you apart from everyone else, something that made them know it was you as soon as you went into the Muggle world..."

"It has to be something in my skin," she murmured, holding her hands out and turning them over to study them.

"What?" Draco asked.

"I feel different since..." she swallowed. "More powerful. When I went to push a door open it opened ahead of my hand. It's why I walked. At first I didn't trust my own magic."

"Is that 'the gift of Asgard' that's mentioned in the scroll?" he asked.

Theo shrugged, "You may have been made more magically compatible with their realm, though there's a good chance there's more to it than that. I wouldn't be surprised if you lived a very, very long time if they don't take that away from you."

"If they do?" she asked.

"They'd probably kill you in the process."

"Brilliant," she grumbled, taking a drink and pouring herself another. "What do I do if we can't break the bond?"

"I don't know," he shrugged. "If you hide long enough perhaps they'll get bored and call it off, though if you're hiding they don't have any way to contact you to tell you if they've given up."

"So, I'd have to hide in the magical world for the rest of my possibly elongated life?"

"I never said it was the world's best plan. And I'm completely discounting any of them being able to go into our magical world. Even if they can't see it, if their magic is similar to ours they'll probably be able to get in if they come here."

"Ruddy hell," she grumbled.

"We'll start looking for a solution tomorrow," Draco assured her. "We'll find something."

"Thank you," she said with a half-hearted smile, but inside she was already exhausted.

XXXXXXXXX

Loki found the building where Hermione had been heading before entering the Bifrost for the first time relatively easily, as it had several police cars sitting outside, investigators half-heartedly studying the slowly fading design carved into the ground, a few pajama-clad witnesses giving their story or generally milling about, hoping for news. From the clips of conversations he heard witnesses saw some poor girl picked up from the middle of the street by a strange burst of weather, I think she lives in that building, no, I don't know her name, and I don't know which flat she lives in, but do you want me to talk to her family? He moved cautiously around the crowd to the building and glanced at the list of names next to the buzzers. He found her quickly, H. Granger was listed after D. Malfoy on the topmost button, though the Malfoy name had been crossed off once with a pen. He slipped inside after an older woman clad in a dressing-gown, and climbed the stairs up to the fifth floor. Their door was at the end of a hallway under weak magical protection, and he checked for surveillance or nosy neighbors before silently moving past the door. Standing just inside the door he studied the flat around him, trying to get a feel for the girl.

The place was very efficient. A small sitting area, filled with bookshelves and a small radio, engulfed the main area of the flat, the chairs arranged in a semi-circle facing a picture window. To one side there was a kitchen and dining area, that window overlooking the river and the city center beyond. Tucked behind this was a small office dominated by two desks. To the other side were two bedrooms, one small with nothing personal, most likely for guests. The other had a large bed and two closets, though one of these had been emptied. D. Malfoy must have been a live-in lover who had moved out. Unfortunate. No one would hold their bond if she were already bound to another.

There was a noise behind him, and he spun to see an ugly ginger cat growling at him, ears flattened against its head.

"You are quite the hideous thing, aren't you?" he smirked, crouching. "She must have an affinity for the less fortunate, since most wouldn't have thought twice about dispatching you after birth."

The cat growled and took a swipe at him before disappearing under the couch.

"Where is she, you foul little beast?" he murmured as he stood. Being careful not to disturb anything he went into the office to start to look for clues as to where she may have gone. The office was his best source of information, as her organization made it easy to find her pay records, and even an address book. He opened this, and started flipping though, looking for clues as to which entries she had made first, as they would be her best friends. Draco Malfoy had an address in France, and he wondered if the fact that she had not crossed his name out of the book meant they had parted on friendly terms. He was staring at the address of a Mr. Harry Potter when a crack from the sitting room disturbed him. Cloaking himself to keep from being seen he moved as silently as possible to watch as a man with white-blonde hair move around the apartment, gathering up books and clothing. Despite his being invisible the cat was still growling at him from under a chair, and the man looked at the beast as he walked to the kitchen to rummage in some cabinets.

"_Revelio_!" the man's voice took him by surprise, and he felt the magic concealing him from sight melt away from his skin. He looked over, annoyed, and saw the man pointing a wand at him.

"It didn't take you long to find this place," the man said, slowly moving to a suitcase he had been packing.

"If she wanted to hide the place where she lived, she made some poor decisions," Loki replied, sounding bored.

"Would you be Loki?"

"I am."

"She wants nothing to do with you or your realm."

"That is something I would like to discuss with her."

"To talk to you about it would be breaking that 'nothing to do with you' hope she has," he replied with a sneer.

He made the emotion slide from his face to hide his annoyance. "Let me put that less delicately, I need to talk to her. She and I are bound together, as we have been since her blood hit the scroll. I have the right to speak with my partner."

"Any luck you will not be partners much longer."

"It will take much more than luck for us to no longer be bound. Did your elders neglect to teach you about the strength of a blood bond?"

The man hesitated. "It was an accident. You aren't meant to be bound."

"It matters not. We are bound. I have lied to my family..."

"From what I hear you're rather good at that."

His eyes narrowed and he stood a little straighter. "I told them that we felt it best we return to where she is comfortable to discuss our next step together," he continued in a clipped voice. "I can give her some more time, however she cannot skirt this forever. We must talk before my family and my realm start to note our absence. I can continue to lie for some time, but Father will not wait forever, and my hard-headed, impulsive brother will give us even less time. Tell her it would be in our best interest to start the discussion soon."

"She'll start it as soon as we figure out how to break the bond," he shot back.

"We certainly don't have that long," he shot back, annoyed.

"Hermione Granger has not gone through everything she has to lose the choice in who she spends her life with."

"You are fools to think you will be able to get out of this without Asgard's help. Go, and tell her I must speak with her."

"Get out of her flat," he ordered.

Casually he strode to her bookshelf, pulling out a few books tucked into a corner, untouched books about the war and a biography of her.

"Tell her not to keep me waiting," Loki said in a low voice, tucking the books under his arm before walking out the front door. He waited until he heard the crack of the man's departure before entering the flat again. The suitcase and the wretched cat were both gone, so he sat on a chair in the sitting room and started to read.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"You had a visitor at the flat," Draco said when he returned back to his chateau to find her already poring over books in the library.

"Who?" she asked, marking her place and turning to look at him. Crookshanks batted his way out of the carrier he was in and jumped up on her lap, purring loudly.

"Loki," he replied grimly.

"He found it that quickly?" she asked, sounding worried.

"The flat is not that secured. Just some basic protections. This place is unplottable and much more secured. He won't find you here."

"But he had to be magic to get in," she pointed out.

"He was disillusioned, or whatever their equivalent is, when I went in. I only knew he was there because Crookshanks was growling the way he does whenever someone he doesn't like is around."

"Clever Crookshanks," she cooed, scratching his ears. "What did he want?" she asked Draco.

"To talk. He said he lied for you, that he told his family you needed to be in familiar surroundings to process everything going on, but that they'll get suspicious soon."

"I don't want to talk to him."

"I know," he nodded. "But he's right. You can't run from this forever."

Her eyes narrowed and her jaw tightened, and he recognized the danger signs and retreated.


	4. Chapter 4

Despite her exhaustion from a day studying blood bonds Hermione found herself unable to sleep the next night. She changed into a bathing suit, wrapped a towel around herself, slipped out of the oversize room she was staying in and through the chateau, walking out the back door into the warm night air. The pool was large, kept at a comfortable temperature year-round, and illuminated by hanging lanterns. As much as she disliked the opulence of the whole home, she loved the pool. A few laps usually helped her unwind when she needed to give her brain a break, but, she realized while sliding into the water, her predicament wasn't going to be easily alleviated by just a few laps. She had already let the bank know she was taking a few personal days because, as much as she hated to admit it, Draco was right. The binding wasn't going to go away by ignoring it. And, though it was the last thing she wanted to do, talking to Loki might help the problem. He seemed to dislike the idea of the binding just as much as she did, and he obviously had some form of magic, so perhaps he would know the magic behind the binding better.

As she swam she became acutely aware that someone was watching her. She chanced a look up as she took a breath, and saw him standing there. Loki looked much less less intimidating in the simple black pants and gold-trimmed green tunic, though he still had an authoritative air around him. He stood about ten feet away from the pool, just in the light of the lantern, eyes following her as she cut through the water. Away from the overwhelming aspect of Asgard, and out of his over-the-top clothing, she realized he was quite good looking. Tall, lank, with dark hair swept back, and eyes that pierced as effortlessly as Dumbledore's. Had he gone to Hogwarts there was little doubt he'd be a Slytherin, but not the nauseatingly arrogant and antagonistic type, as Draco had been during their years at the school. More like Snape, who only showed arrogance when he was sure of his abilities, more aloof and intelligent, who didn't often pick a fight but knew how to stir the pot when he wanted. While she would never admit it to anyone, but now that she and her former professor were casual friends she found that sexy about Snape, and the parallels could be easily made between Severus and the Asgardian prince. She stopped after her lap, taking a drink from a bottle of water she brought out before acknowledging him.

"That didn't take you very long," she said, looking over at him.

"Longer than I thought, actually," he said with a soft smile, stepping closer. "The wards here took a bit of work to get through. I am grateful you are being kept in such a safe place, Lady Granger."

"Please don't call me that," she replied sharply. "And why do you care about my safety?"

"Do not mistake my distaste for the binding to be apathy towards you as a person. Quite the opposite. I care for your well being because of the binding. I do bear some responsibility towards you, even if neither of us will admit that magic has already been invoked. It is for that reason I am here. No doubt your friend told you of my visit. I found a couple books about you, and I confess to reading them during the day today. Books paint a beautiful picture, though I have learned that I must take the information with a grain of salt. Still, I am glad I got the opportunity to read about you before approaching you, as you have lead a fascinating life," he said, crouching in front of her so they were quite close.

She swallowed as she thought about what he had said, but her brain kept repeating the fact that he had read a couple books that day, as if one biography hadn't been enough. Why did he have to tell her that he did exactly what she would have done had she not already had a basic knowledge of him? He was easy on the eyes, she would admit that, and she found him intriguing, but it wasn't enough for her to want to spend much time with him. She couldn't risk him telling her things that would make him look like the type of man she wanted in her life, because if she found him attractive, intriguing, and enticing she may find herself doing something stupid, like letting the bond stay in place.

"Found them interesting, then?" she asked casually, looking up at him.

"Enough to realize how you were able to read the scroll, how you were able to bind yourself. You are quite the fascinating woman."

"Flattery and compliments are not going to help us out of our current predicament," she chuckled nervously, backing up a step to try to lessen the intensity of his gaze.

"No, it will not," he said, standing. "However I felt I needed to understand the binding before I could explore how to break ourselves from it."

"So there is a way?" she asked, surprised.

"I have not yet come across a situation that I could not find a solution to, however I admit I find myself at a loss as to how to change this one at this moment," he said. "Father is not known for doing things half-heartedly or incompetently. He will not have made it easy for us to free ourselves, if he even allowed for such a thing. When I modified the magic I did not think to create a way to break the bond because I thought I has assured there would never be a bond."

"You modified it?" she raised an eyebrow.

"I made it so it held the woman in an almost unattainable regard. I thought if such a woman existed, the chance of her finding and reading the scroll was miniscule, and the chance of her agreeing to the binding would be even less. I did not take into account that father may have designed the magic around the scroll so that such a woman may not have a choice."

"You think he may have taken away my choice in order to ensure this binding happens?"

"How often does an arranged marriage come with the consent of the bride and groom?" he snapped.

"That isn't how it works nowadays," she pointed out.

"In this part of your world, and I will remind you that marrying for love is, in relation to your existence as a species, a fairly new fashion."

"That depends on so many different definitions," she pointed out. "Royalty, aristocrats, maybe. Many of us have had the choice for far longer."

"In some places of your world the arrangement of marriage is still in favor."

"It is condemned by most of the rest of the world. And I believe it is usually done through the bride's parents."

"Would you rather I bring my father down here to discus the binding with yours?"

"No, I'd rather you not give my father a heart attack, thank you," she replied.

"Which is why we must discuss it between ourselves."

She sighed and played with the water. "I suppose we must," she muttered after a long moment.

He looked at her, and for the first time she saw something besides annoyance in his eyes. If she had to name it she'd call it sympathy, but he seemed unsure of the emotion himself, or at least unsure of how to portray it. "For what it is worth, I am sorry."

"You had about as much a choice as I did," she reminded him.

He looked away from her. An awkward silence fell between them.

"This isn't really a conversation I want to have while in the pool," she said. "Why don't we go up to the house? I'll get dressed and we can talk."

He nodded. She swam to the stairs and climbed out of the pool, to find him holding her towel out to her. She murmured her thanks, flushing as she noticed his eyes wandering over her, a smile playing across his lips. She wrapped the towel around herself and led the way inside.

"Are you hungry or thirsty? I could show you the kitchen."

He thought about it for a moment before saying, "Yes, I would appreciate something to eat."

She wound deep into the house, opening the door to the kitchen. Immediately a house-elf came scurrying forward, bowing low.

"What is that?" Loki asked in distaste.

"House-elf," she replied. "A servant of sorts. Sabbi, aren't you supposed to be asleep?"

"Oh, no, Miss," the house-elf replied. "Sabbi and two others work throughout the night doing the deep-cleaning."

Hermione sighed in annoyance. "This is Loki, and he would like something to eat and drink. Would you like me..." she trailed off as the elf scurried to the cupboards and started pulling out pots and pans.

"She feels no obligation to you, so if there's something you want, be polite," Hermione told him. "They are, by nature, extremely helpful. Overly so, to be honest. Please don't push her."

"I will not," he promised.

"I'll be down in a little bit. This is Draco's house, though I don't think he'll wake up, if he does tell him, and Sabbi can back you up, that I invited you in. Stay in the kitchen, and I'll try not to take too long."

"I'll be here, awaiting your return," he replied with a small bow.

She practically ran to her room, took a quick shower, brushed her hair and pulled it into a ponytail, and got dressed in a nice pair of jeans and a blouse. She hurried back down the stairs as the clock chimed two in the morning, and found Loki in the kitchen, a mostly-finished plate of bangers and mash in front of him, a tea set sitting by his elbow.

"Is everything to your liking?" she asked, unsure of what else to say.

"It is... acceptable," Loki replied, standing.

"Good. Follow me," she said.

He walked to her and, as if the action were automatic, offered her an arm. She stared at it for a moment before taking it and starting to lead him through the large house.

"This house belongs to Draco," she told him as they walked.

"Is he your lover?" he asked.

"We were engaged to be married."

"But not anymore?"

"No. We broke up a couple months ago," she shook her head.

"And that fact is well known?"

"Published in several wizarding publications. Why?"

"It would be easier to convince father to break the bond if you were already betrothed to another."

"Do you think there's any chance of convincing him?" she asked.

"No," he shook his head once. "Not with the current circumstances."

"What current circumstances?" she asked. "I heard him mention something about Midgard coming into knowledge of Asgard once again."

"My brother was banished here not too long ago. I will admit to making the situation a little more... visible than father would have preferred."

"You're going to have to explain," she murmured.

"Shortly after his banishment I was going through a time of emotional upheaval. And, simultaneously, the throne was thrust upon me when my father became incapacitated. I attempted to keep power, to keep some form of control, and when I saw my brother as a threat I attempted to eliminate him in a rather grand fashion. That confrontation took place in a town full of humans, being watched by a branch of the American government. This means that now there are those on your realm who know of us, and have seen our power. Father wishes you to be an ambassador of sorts between our realms."

"But I'm in hiding from most of Midgard. I can't go out and use magic in front of them, they don't know about witches and wizards, and I doubt the Ministry is going to let that change because I wound up bound to someone from another realm," she protested.

A smile played across his lips. "You do not realize the power you do have. You are more powerful than the average Muggle as you would call them. And you are quite powerful in your world."

"Yes, part of the world that has nothing to do with you or what you did to your brother," she shot back. "We're here," she cut him off, opening a door.

"A library?" he asked, stepping inside.

"Where else are we going to find information about blood bonds?" she asked. "Draco pretty much cleared his family library when he moved out, Narcissa and Lucius didn't use it very often and only wanted to keep a select few. The collection is the best place I can think of to start looking. I'm assuming you can't go looking in Asgard."

"I have looked," he replied. "And have found that, if father does not want the bond broken, the bond will remain. And he thinks that this bond may provide me some stability and direction in my life."

"Oh," she shot him a look.

"Yes?" he asked, sound irritated.

"You don't seem like a man who lacks direction," she shrugged.

"I notice you have said nothing about stability."

"I don't know here nor there about that, and to be honest the books on the subject are not kind to you in that regard," she replied, and another smile fluttered across his face. "So, if you're unable to find anything there, and I cannot go waltzing into Hogwarts with announcing our predicament..."

"Why would you go to Hogwarts?"

"They have the largest collection of books on nearly any magical subject you could possibly want to study, but the chances of the bond staying secret if I go there looking for the information is virtually non-existent. Draco has a plan there, but I didn't ask." She went to a desk covered in old texts and placed her hand on top of a pile. "I've already pulled these, thinking they may be useful. Unless you can think of a better way to approach this...?"

"No," he shook his head once.

"Then we're just going to have to keep looking these over. Pick any you want, the stack on the small table is ones I've already looked through and found nothing," she said, grabbing _Magical Marriage Rites and Rituals Throughout History_ from the top of the stack and sitting on one side of the large couch.

"Are there any with information you've found?"

"Nothing I didn't already know," she shook her head.

He carefully sifted through the stacks, picking out a couple books, before sitting on the other side of the couch and starting to read. They read for hours, occasionally getting up to pick another book, but they did not speak. Once Hermione turned on the couch, sticking her feet on the seat between her and Loki, but if he noticed he made no motion towards her. What they didn't know was that occasionally they would look at each other, watching the intensity of their work, studying their features, and wonder what would happen if the bond were in place.

At six thirty the next morning the door opened, and Draco walked in without looking up from the tie he was working on.

"Have you been working on this all ni..." he stopped as he looked up and saw Hermione wasn't alone. "Did you find him or did he find us?" he asked.

"He found us," Hermione replied, sounding irritated. "And you don't have to talk about Loki as if he isn't in the room."

"You should have told me he was here," Draco continued without acknowledging her irritation.

"I didn't see the need to wake you up. As you can see, he hasn't tried to drag me back to Asgard or anything. He says he's studied the bond there long enough to know there's nothing he can do there to break it, so now we're working on it here. And you happen to have the biggest library I have access to."

"Is he planning on staying?"

"I don't know Perhaps we could ask him," she snapped, then turned to Loki and continued in an apologetic tone. "Loki, would you like to stay here, or would you feel more comfortable going back to Asgard or staying at my flat?"

"I will stay where it is most convenient for you, Lady Granger," he replied softly, though there was a dangerous tone in his voice.

"I'm going to stay here the next couple days to have easy access to the library. Would it be okay for him to have the room across from mine?" she turned to ask Draco.

Draco looked extremely hesitant, but nodded.

"Thank you," she said.

"I have something I have to do before going into work today. You'll be alright here?" Draco asked, looking at Hermione, silently asking if she trusted being alone with Loki.

"Yes," she assured him.

"Take care," he muttered, leaving them to study again. Hermione noticed a house elf poking in the door every ten minutes or so, occasionally scurrying in with food or drinks. At ten in the morning a loud knock rang through the house, and Hermione, confused, excused herself and went to answer the door.

"Professor Snape!" she said in surprise when she saw who was waiting, and she immediately stood aside to let him in with the box of books he was levitating before him. "How are you?"

"Draco contacted me early this morning and said you were in a tight spot with a blood bond," Snape replied without greeting, looking extremely interested in her predicament. "He asked me to round up what books I could find in the library to assist in attempting to break the bond. I thought I would deliver them personally."

"Oh, yes, well, thank you," she murmured, motioning the way.

"I must admit I find myself surprised. He said the bond was accidental, and much more difficult to break than a regular blood bond."

"Did he tell you why?"

"No, he thought it best that you tell me."

"What do you know of Asgard?"

"One of the nine homeworlds of old Norse cosmology, if I remember correctly. Old stories, Miss Granger..."

"That one is real. And I'm bound to one of their princes."

He stopped on the stairs to look at her, one eyebrow arched nearly to his hairline.

"Come on, then," she said. "You can meet him."

He followed her into the library, where Loki was sorting through the books.

"Loki, this is my former professor, Severus Snape. Professor Snape, this is Loki... I'm sorry, I don't know. If we're going traditional, wouldn't it be Odinson?"

"That's acceptable," Loki replied, stepping forward and offering a hand to Snape, who shook it once.

"Severus knows our magic better than anyone I know," Hermione explained. "Though I don't think bonds are his point of interest.

"I think I may want to hear this story. From the beginning, if you would," Snape said, sitting on a chair as they sat on the couch. Carefully Loki and Hermione told the story from the time the scroll was made to their current situation. Severus listened intently without saying anything, until they finished.

"So..." Hermione asked after a tense moment of silence. "What do you think?"

"I think I should be offering you congratulations on your upcoming nuptials," Snape replied in a deadpan voice.

"That bad?" she said with a sigh.

"Obviously I do not know their magic, however I have studied bonds extensively, as the Dark Mark is the sign of a blood bond to the Dark Lord, and as of yet I have not found a method of breaking that bond that does not have a significant chance of death, usually for the weaker of the bonded pair. I'm assuming that would be you in this case, Ms. Granger."

"Probably a safe assumption," she muttered. "So, you're telling us it's pretty much hopeless?"

"Not necessarily," he replied. "My bond with the Dark Lord was one of subservience. Your bond is probably more of those who are lovers, and equals. I haven't studied those kinds of bonds, as they did not apply to my situation. However, I would caution you not to hold too much hope. It sounds as though you will need compliance from Asgard in order to break the bond, and I mean someone other than you," he added with a nod towards Loki.

"Unfortunately those on Asgard who have the power to perform such a task are somewhat keen on keeping the bond in place," Loki replied darkly.

"Just those who could perform such a task?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Most on my realm would not subject Lady Granger to my proclivities."

"I see. If there is an answer, Miss Granger, I have yet to hear of it. I brought every book Hogwarts had on the subject, though I'm sure many of them are repeats of what Draco already has. Madam Pince has issued the standard warnings about the care which is to be taken with her texts."

"Does she know they were coming to me?"

"No. She pried, but I have never been one to indulge gossip."

"Thank you for that," she murmured. "But if she knew she would know she has no worry about the condition of the books."

"I have a class, so I must leave, but keep me informed if you find anything."

"I will," she promised as he swept from the room without a formal farewell.

"That was an interesting character," Loki remarked, picking up a few books.

"Severus has never been one to mince words, and despite acting a total prat if he cares for you in any manner you'll find yourself with a very loyal friend."

"And he cares for you?"

"Not in a romantic sense," she replied. "He is Draco's Godfather, and when Draco and I were seeing each other he visited frequently. We developed a friendship in our own sense that way. He is very slow to trust people."

"A sign of intelligence," he said, opening a book and starting to read.

They worked for several hours before Hermione started showing signs of fatigue. Her eyes would shut for several seconds before she forced them back open, she constantly shifted looking for a position that was comfortable but didn't invite nodding off, and she yawned at least once a minute.

"Perhaps it is time for you to retire," Loki said softly.

"I think you may be right," she replied with another yawn and a stretch. "I just read the same paragraph a dozen times and couldn't tell you two words of it. If I just get a few hours I should be able to concentrate better."

"May I escort you to your room?" he asked, carefully placing the book he was reading down.

"That would probably be best, so I can show you your room," she said, standing.

He offered her an arm and let her lead him from the room towards the guest rooms.

"Do you sleep?" she asked.

"When my body requires," he replied. "Not nearly as often as those from your realm. The body gets fatigued just as any body would, however it takes longer to get to that state, and I require less rest when I do sleep."

"Oh. Well, you'll be staying across from me, so if you want to wake me in the morning we can get back to work looking through the books."

"I will remember that," he said as she put her hand on a door.

"You can stay in here," she said, pushing the door open. The room was large and opulent, designed by Narcissa before the chateau had been gifted to Draco, done up in rich green and silver. "It is called the Green Room. I think it's Slytherin tradition to have a room decorated in this color scheme."

"Slytherin?"

"One of the four houses of Hogwarts. Known for their cunning and ambition."

"You have such a negative tone in your voice when you say those words," he noted. "Did you not admit to being betrothed to a Slytherin at one point?"

"Yes, I was, but most of the major suffering I've been through in my life has been at the hands of Slytherins, so I still have a somewhat negative view of that house. And, to be fair, Draco and I hated each other in school. He was a tremendous git bent on taunting my friends and I, and it got to the point where I punched him in the nose for mocking a friend's suffering."

He looked at her and a wide smile crossed his face as he chuckled. "Is that how you solve all your differences?" he asked.

"I assure you that is not my preferred method of dealing with annoyances, but I admit it has its charm."

He chuckled again.

"Is everything okay in here?" she asked after showing him some of the features in the room.

"It is acceptable," he nodded.

"I'm directly across the hall," she said as she started backing out of the room. "Knock if you need anything."

"I will, Lady Granger," he tilted in a bow. "You have a pleasant rest."

"Thanks," she murmured awkwardly before slipping from the room and hurrying across the hall to collapse into bed fully clothed. The last thing she thought of before sleep overtook her was how his eyes lit up when he smiled at her anecdote, and how attractive he looked when he seemed happy.


	5. Chapter 5

Hermione was woken the next day by a ray of sunlight falling across her face. Since her room faced west she realized that she had slept very late, and immediately rolled out of bed and hurried to get ready. Knocking on Loki's door elicited no response, so she hurried to the library, where she found the demi god in the same position he had been the night before, a stack of books beside him.

"Good morning," she said.

He immediately stood, and greeted her with an incline of his head. "Good morning, Lady Granger."

"How long have you been working in here?" she asked, noticing a large number of books had been moved from the pile to be read to the pile of unhelpful books.

"A few hours. I did not wish to wake you, as I am sure sleep has been fleeting since the bonding," he replied.

"You have that right," she muttered in response, grabbing a book and sitting to read, noticing he didn't sit until she did. They didn't speak any further for a few hours. Occasionally a house-elf would come in bearing coffee, tea, water, or food. At one point Hermione got up and laid on her stomach in front of the fireplace.

"Is the stone floor more comfortable to you?" Loki asked after a few minutes, without looking up from his book.

"My arse is completely numb," she replied. "It may not be comfortable, but it's preferable for a while at least."

"Language such as that will not be welcome in the court of Asgard," he reminded her.

"You're on Midgard," she reminded him. "Cuss as much as you care to. And don't tell me you never swear, or the equivalent. You were never hurt in battle and let loose a profanity?"

"You will not know unless you come into battle with me."

"I've had enough battles for one lifetime, thanks."

"Your life has hardly begun."

"Maybe in comparison to yours," she pointed out. "I'm probably a fifth of the way through my lifespan, and if I were Muggle that would be closer to a third."

"If the bond holds you will live much longer than five times your current age," he pointed out. "You'll be barely started with your lifespan."

"I'm going to plan as if I'm a fifth of the way through," she replied. "About the time I should think about getting married and starting a family."

"Is it your wish to start a family?" he asked, finally looking up at her.

"Yes," she replied softly. "I want children. However, I don't want to bring a child into a situation where their parents are only together because they were forced. I want to be a part of a loving family, not one bound only by a scroll."

"Your views on the matter are... remarkably logical," he replied, returning to his book.

Hermione decided to let the thinly veiled insult slide as she got an idea, but waited until after they ate dinner to put it into motion. She called for a bottle of firewhiskey and a deck of playing cards to be sent to the garden.

"Walk with me?" she asked after sorting the final books of the night.

Looking curious he stood and offered an arm. Hermione forced herself not to smile as she took it. Loki may not seem like a man who cared for manners, but he was acting like an impeccable gentleman around her, and she was secretly relishing it. Part of the reason Draco had managed to quickly win her over was his ability to act like a gentleman, though he was never overbearing, nor thought that he was more than her because he was a man. Loki seemed to be cut from the same cloth, at least, that was how he was presenting himself.

She led him to a table under a silvery opaque canopy, and took the seat he held for her before he sat across from her. He watched in interest as she poured them both measures of firewhiskey and started shuffling the cards.

"You have sufficiently piqued my curiosity," he said. "What is your plan here?"

"We both admit that breaking the bond is a long shot," she said, starting to deal the cards in equal stacks. "I think, just in case, we should get to know each other. This is the way my parents accomplished that, as they didn't have much time during their studies to go on long dates."

"Drinking and playing games?" he asked, skeptically.

"A game of war," she shook her head. "Is that something you have on Asgard?"

"I am quite sure you and I have vastly different definitions of 'war', if this is any indication," he replied.

"It's just a card game. Each player puts down a card, highest card wins. In my parents version the winner gets to ask the loser a question, any question, and the loser answers. If the loser does not wish to answer they surrender a card. It goes until you run out of questions or until someone wins."

"And the drink?"

"Liquid courage," she smirked, holding out one stack of cards to him. "Are we playing?"

He studied the cards for a moment as though they were an enemy, then reached for the stack and flipped his top card on the table."

"King beats three," Hermione announced, pulling the cards towards herself. "What's your favorite color?"

"Every question in the universe before you, and you pick something as pathetic as color preference?" he chuckled.

"I'm trying to ease you into this."

He considered her a moment, then said, "Deep red. The kind that streaks the sky at dusk."

"Fair enough," she said, flipping over her next card.

"I do believe a ten is greater than a six," he smirked. "Have you ever killed a person, Hermione?"

"You do not waste time," she quipped, taking a drink. "Yes, I have. Three, actually, all in the Battle of Hogwarts."

Loki won the next round. "How do you feel about having taken life?"

She thought for a moment. "I'm neither here nor there about it. It was in battle, I knew it was coming down to either them or me, and I just happened to be the faster spell caster. I think, had the situation been different, if I weren't protecting my life or the lives of those I love, I would probably feel guilt, though, if I were not protecting a life I cannot see myself taking one." She took a sip before adding, "I honestly don't feel anything towards those people. I think about it on occasion, but it's more the situation, not the act of taking their lives. I didn't feel there was anything else I could do in the situation. Incapacitating someone is only delaying their return to battle."

He nodded before putting down his next card. Hermione won the round, and thought for a moment before asking, "Have you ever felt guilt over a life you've taken?"

He considered her for a moment before sliding his next card to her to avoid answering.

"How would you feel if we can't find a way to break the bond?" she asked softly after their next round.

He held a card out as though he were going to give it to her, then put it back atop his pile. "You are not an unpleasant woman to be around, Lady..."

"Hermione," she interrupted. "Please, don't use any more of that 'Lady' crap, at least when we're down here. It feels so... impersonal."

"Hermione," he corrected. "I feel as though I have an understanding of what you have done and your motivations. I do not feel the bond remaining would be very distressing, though I still do not view it as an ideal situation."

She bit her lip and put her next card down.

"And you?" he asked.

"I don't know," she replied truthfully. "You seem like an intelligent, reasonable gentleman right now, but there are so many stories, so many things I've heard that you've done. I don't know what to believe, I don't know what to think... how can I even consider the bond when I don't know who you are as a person and your motivations for your deeds."

"Then ask," he said. "I will tell you. I have no reason to hide my past from you."

She swallowed, then played another card. He stared at her a moment, then played one of his own. She sighed when she saw she had won, and asked "What is the worst thing you've ever done?" softly as she focused on putting her cards into a perfect stack.

"Attempted to destroy a realm, using an event I had arranged as partial justification."

"Why would you do that?" she asked as she looked up at him, forgetting the cards.

"I felt... personally wronged by them."

"Care to elaborate?"

He threw a card across the table, and it hit her hand without her acknowledgment.

"What is the worst thing you've done, Hermione?" he asked, staring at her.

She bit her lip as she thought, then whispered, head down and cheeks flushed, "I don't think my actions would qualify, it's the thoughts I've harbored."

"Care to elaborate?" he asked in a tone that flirted with mocking.

She narrowed her eyes and threw a card across at him, hitting him in the chest.

"Why do you feel you can't speak of your thoughts to me?"

"I hardly know you. Why would I reveal my deepest secrets to you?" she asked, incredulously.

"Because of our bond. I can feel your fire, your fear that I may find out... the terror that just shot you when I confessed how deeply we are connected. Do you not feel it, Hermione?"

She paused, and realized that somewhere, deep inside, she felt some sense of self-satisfaction and confidence that was completely irrational, and she wondered if Loki was speaking the truth.

"Curiosity," he announced. "I expected nothing less from you."

Her eyes locked with his, a million thoughts running through her head. "How...?" she asked.

"The bond has locked us together in ways that neither of us have experienced before. The bond is not only some contract, it has entwined us in ways even I am still discovering. I noticed it earlier, presumably when you arose, and I began noticing emotions that had no bearing on my current situation: fear and uncertainty."

"Perhaps you just can't admit that you're having those feelings yourself," she shot back.

He raised an eyebrow.

"I'm going to bed," she announced, standing suddenly. "No, I'll see myself inside, thank you. I'll see you in the morning," she added when he started to stand.

He still stood, inclining himself as she walked away. As soon as she was out of sight he sat back down, making a show of straightening the cards.

"She can be a little spit-fire," he said to the seemingly empty air, but he turned and looked pointedly at some bushes. "I know you are there," he added, sounding annoyed.

"You're the one who pushed her buttons," Draco said, emerging from behind a tall hedge.

"If that is what qualifies as 'pushing her buttons' it does not take much to rile her."

"It depends on the mood she is in, and right now, she's in a bad mood," he said, leaning against one of the canopy's supports.

"My intentions are not to make this more distressing," he scowled.

"Perhaps you should turn off the antagonistic part of your personality," he suggested sarcastically. "What was the point of this?" he said, nodding at the cards.

"It was her idea. She has accepted that there is a chance we will find this bond is permanent, and she believes we should get to know each other in case we find ourselves in that position."

"That sounds pessimistic of her."

"I'd call it realistic, actually," he replied. "Between her, you, and I how many hours have we spent looking through books? Remember to add my hundreds of hours of looking in Asgardian texts. We have found absolutely nothing. It seems somewhat of a fool's errand at the moment, but our search is something neither she nor I are willing to abandon until we feel we have eliminated every possible outcome."

"That sounds like Hermione," he sighed.

Silence fell between them, and Loki stood, starting back into the house. After a few steps he paused, and turned to face Draco.

"Is there an activity Hermione finds preference in outside the home?"

Draco's eyebrow shot up. "Are you asking where she might like to go for a date?"

"If that is what you call it."

"I have an idea. Something Hermione mentioned she thought would be fun, but we never got a chance to go. I'll set it up for you."

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"This stack is getting ridiculous," Hermione sighed, putting a hand on top of the pile of books they had already gone through, which had overtaken the small table, with several stacked around the base. She grabbed a few and walked over to the partially empty shelves most of the books had been cultivated from and, struggling while trying to hold her stack, climbed the six-rung ladder to get to the proper shelf. As she started placing books away one slipped from her grasp and fell to the floor with a loud thud, shaking Loki from his trance-like state as he read.

"Damn. Could you pick that up for me?" Hermione asked.

"Are you not a witch?" he asked, standing and striding towards her.

"I am," she replied, placing another book on the shelf.

"I would think a witch would be able to retrieve the book without assistance," he said, stooping to pick up the book and holding it up to her. She noticed he took advantage of the new angle to run his eyes over her body. Did she imagine the flash of desire in his eyes?

"You have to be careful about using magic around some of these old books. They don't like magic," she replied, looking down at him.

"The books do not _like_ magic?" he repeated slowly.

"Some of them don't," she shrugged. "It's different if you have a giant collection like at Hogwarts where there is always magic around. These books aren't as used to the feeling, and they don't like it."

"You are talking utter nonsense."

"Am I?" she said, holding an ancient looking text out and dropping it just outside his reach. Instinctively he reached for it, a burst of magic surging forward to cushion the book before it hit the floor. All around them a faint wailing emerged from some of the older books, and several whisper-like voices. Loki straightened, looking around in surprise, until the noises stopped a minute later. He looked lost in thought at the book still on the floor.

"They're very sensitive," she said, shelving the last couple books and starting to climb down. She felt his hand find her waist, steadying her until she was on the floor. She expected him to play the gentleman as he had been and quickly remove his hand, but it lingered, fingers running lightly across her skin, sending a shock through her to her core at the excitement of the thought of him possibly wanting her, a wave of disappointment coming over her as he finally let his fingers fall away from her.

"I want to try something," she said. "Come with me, we can't do it here."

She led him through the house to a large, unused parlor. She locked the door after entering, and took him to the middle of the room.

"Tell me what you feel," she said, pressing her wand into his hand.

His brow furrowed as he twisted the wand between his fingers, wrapping each hand around it in turn. "It feels... distantly familiar, though mostly hostile."

"Well, it's not your wand, and you and I are very different, so I doubt our wand preferences are similar, but you could try doing some magic."

"I don't know any of yours," he replied.

"I'll show you," she said. His back stiffened as she pressed herself to him, placing a hand over his to show him how to do a proper summoning charm. She noticed his reaction, and was surprised at how close she was willing to get to him and how bold she felt when she did. She even went so far as to rest her cheek against his shoulder, and with their bodies so close she thought she could feel the soft pulse of something, their energy or their magic, against each other. It took him fifteen minutes, but as soon as he got the hang of it he was surrounded by a small pile of items she had conjured up for him to practice summoning.

"You are quite good with a wand," she remarked. "And a hostile one to boot."

"I do believe that part of the ability is due to you," he said, handing the wand back.

"What do you mean?" she asked, walking out of the parlor with him.

"My magic is generally not controlled through wands, and it is not used for intricate tasks such as yours. I do believe that, when you signed the scroll, I was given that gift as you were gifted with Asgardian abilities."

"Did you..." she started softly, sounding unsure. "Did you collapse when it happened?"

"I did not, however my body is more resilient than yours, and, to be honest, being able to concentrate magic through an object is not as large a change as what you went through."

"That's all you got from this?"

"Is the bride not enough?" he asked with a smirk.

"Well, if you're presumptuous enough to think I'm going to be a good little wife and perform all my so-called wifely duties..." she raised an eyebrow.

"If we were to remain bonded, would you wish to become a lady of the home?"

"First, that's presuming I'm going to live on Asgard, and I will not make such a commitment. Second, I love my job. I am not willing to give that up."

"You mentioned, when we first met, that you work in a bank. What is it that you do?"

"Pretty much what I said in Asgard, I am sent ancient or valuable items from around the world, and I date it, figure out the historical significance, and find a price for it. That's how I came upon that scroll, it was sent to me with a group of other things from a monument. I get to work with history every day, I get to explore and learn, and it isn't something I would want to give up so I can lounge around, waiting to have a child."

"Could you not do similar work on Asgard? We have many historians."

"I don't know Asgard very well, do I?" she shot back. "And even if I could I wouldn't want to. It doesn't have the same connection as what I currently work with has. I'm working with the history of my people, exploring ancient witches and wizards and historical events. I get to see what got me where I am. On Asgard I would not have such a connection."

"Some might say it would be good for you to not have a personal connection in your work, as sentiment may take precedence in some cases," he challenged.

"One can do the work and feel sentimental about it without allowing it to cloud their judgment. The military do it all the time, as do doctors. There is the work you must do, and it's okay to have the connection if you realize that you have such a connection and are unwilling to let it tarnish your judgment in your work."

He nodded, feeling impressed that she showed such love and devotion to her work. Hermione was unwilling to settle on Asgard, a fact which would have delighted him a few days prior because he could make excuses to stay on Asgard away from her and it would be the closest thing to not having the bond. However part of him felt disappointed at the thought that they would be spending most of their time apart. He quickly dismissed the thought as being part of the strange magic behind their bond that was making them feel emotionally connected.

"Draco has assisted me in arranging an outing for you and I tonight," he announced. "If you are willing to accompany me, of course," he added.

"Brilliant," she said, unable to hide a hint of excitement in her voice. She blushed when she realized she had accepted because she was starting to enjoy their time alone, even if he could antagonize her quickly if he chose. "Where are we going?"

"A place he suggested," he replied cryptically. "I presume you need some time to prepare. I'll await you in the library."

"I'll go get dressed, then," she said. She hurried to her room where she quickly changed into a blue dress, pulled her hair back, and put on a little makeup. When she went to the library she paused in the doorway. Loki was not in his typical tunic and leggings combination, but rather he was wearing a gray suit which would fit in pretty much anywhere they could possibly go. Seeing him dressed in Midgardian clothes took away the distance she felt whenever she was with him, the reminder that they were indeed from different worlds. He marked the book he was reading and stood when he noticed her standing there.

"You look stunning," he said, a sincerity in his voice she hadn't heard before.

"Thank you," she blushed. "You look good as well."

"The clothing is not to my liking, however I felt it prudent to fit in at our destination."

"Are you still not going to tell me where we're going?" she asked.

"No," he smiled. "Though I have assurances that it is something you have desired to attend."

"Do you need me to take us somewhere?" she asked.

"I believe I have a similar ability," he said, offering his arm.

He took them to an industrial looking area just outside London. Hermione's curiosity was piqued as he walked them out of the alley they had landed in towards a small area with some shops and pubs. She noticed some people were queuing up outside a door on the side of an innocuous looking pub, and they quickly joined the group.

"Still not telling?" he asked.

"I am surprised you haven't figured it out," he replied.

They were welcomed into a room, where Loki gave his name to a man dressed in a striped suit standing behind a podium. They were ushered into the back room by a woman in a tight outfit, and immediately Hermione realized they were at a small circus/ entertainment venue known for serving food while putting on a show. They walked past a woman dancing in a cage to a line of booths along the wall. Each booth was set up so those occupying it would be forced to sit together for the best view of the small stage. She slid in next to Loki, getting close enough her arm was against his. He looked down at the contact, though his face held no emotion, then looked up at her.

"I am disappointed," he smirked.

"In what?" she asked in surprise.

"From what I understand you are known for being able to recite several facts about anything you may come into contact with, but you have been speechless since your arrival.

"That's not fair," she chuckled. "As you set this up I thought you had enough information you didn't need me to recite facts about this particular dinner and circus-style show, which is well known for having an excellent comedic magician and some fantastic contortionists and acrobats, not to mention exceptional food..."

"And that is how you earned that reputation," he said with a hint of a smile.

"You are the one who thought it disappointing that I did not start spewing facts the moment we arrived. Do not give me an open door like that, because I will walk right through."

"Noted," he smiled as a waiter dressed in a mime's outfit came through to pour them each a glass of wine.

Loki watched the first act, a group of dancers who performed acrobatic acts during their performance, with an air of disinterest while Hermione watched in delight. The comedian came next, and when Hermione chanced at look at Loki she saw a faint smile across his lips.

"Seems you are enjoying the performance," she murmured.

"Absurdity and pathetic parlor tricks," he replied softly.

"Absurdity puts a smile on your face?" she asked, reaching up to gently touch the corner of his mouth.

"Do you not smile at awkward situations?" he replied.

"You must admit a level of personal connection to it to find it awkward," she said.

"Perhaps it is knowing that I am sitting next to one who could, quite easily, upstage him with one hand still clutching her wine glass."  
>"Perhaps, but I didn't think you would be interested in me performing 'pathetic parlor tricks'."<p>

He leaned closer to her, pushing her hair behind her ear before whispering, "What sort of tricks do you think I'd wish to see you perform?"

She felt a blush start to take over her face, and her back straightened, but she summoned her courage and replied, "It depends, I suppose. But I would certainly make sure they could not be anything you could qualify as pathetic." Her hand seemed to be acting of its own accord when it found his leg.

"I daresay that I doubt any...," he murmured, pausing to look her over and place an arm around her, "trick... you do would qualify as 'pathetic'."

She turned to look at him, unsure of what, exactly, was going on between them in that moment. Was Loki playing some sort of angle? Or was he genuinely interested? She was saved from reply by the waiter, who placed two plates of food in front of them. He looked at the two of them, how close they were, and mimed a couple of semi-lewd gestures. Hermione blushed and looked away until he was gone.

"Why does he not speak?" Loki growled, annoyed.

"He is a mime," she replied. "Their performance relies on their keeping silent."

"I do not like mimes," he grumbled.

"I didn't expect you would."

His arm snaked around her, drawing her closer, watching until the final act, who was a contortionist who performed on silks. Loki seemed quite interested in that performance, even looking impressed as the performer strung herself into a web, then dropped suddenly to the floor, catching herself inches before a violent landing by throwing her legs into a split.

"If I didn't know better I would say you enjoyed that last performance," she said as they were leaving, her hand finding its way into his.

"I must admit that seeing someone who is so... flexible is a rarity and interesting."

"So one of us managed to impress you?" she raised an eyebrow in mock surprise.

"You are implying I have not been impressed with any others since I have arrived in this realm."

"Have you?"

He shot her a look before saying, "You do not think very highly of yourself, Hermione."

Without warning he brought her back to Draco's chateau.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked as they started towards her room.

"Either you are being humble or you really don't know how impressive you appear to others."

"I really don't think..."

"Humility it is, then. Mother and Father would think that an admirable trait."

The mention of his home made her remember that their time in the Muggle world was probably being monitored. Of course he would be wanting to give Asgard the impression that things were going well, it would help keep that realm at bay and help give them more time to try to find a way to break the bond without interference. Loki was playing an angle. He wasn't interested in her, he was putting on a show.

So why were they still holding hands?

"I wanted to thank you for the lovely evening," she said as they stopped outside their rooms.

"You wished to get to know each other better, and I thought that taking you somewhere you wished to go would help accomplish that."

"It was very kind of you to go through the trouble," she smiled, and on impulse stood on tip-toe to kiss him gently on the cheek, closer to his lips than she should, putting him in the position to make the next move. "Thank you," she repeated, her face still close to his.

"You are welcome, Hermione," he murmured, studying her face. For a long moment they stood close to each other, then Hermione felt something brush her ankle, and looked down to see Crookshanks winding around her legs. Loki took the opportunity to drop her hand and take a step back, and Hermione hoped her face didn't betray her disappointment.

"Good night," she said, picking up the cat and backing towards her door.

"Sleep well," he replied, and she felt his eyes on her until the door was closed behind her. She leaned against the door, and fought her desire to open the door wide and throw herself at him, only able to move when she heard his door close as well. Her brain went through a million different scenarios in a couple seconds, almost all of which involved falling into bed with Loki. In the end she stripped and laid on her bed as she decided the best course of action was to let the fantasy take over her mind while bringing herself to a much needed climax.

XXXXXXXXXXX

"I would have thought this would not be so difficult for you," the man whispered, crouching on a darkened balcony, the only light coming from a street lamp far below.

"I am not your brother," the woman shot back, scowling as she worked the pick in the lock. "I am not as skilled at stealthily getting into places where I should not be... ah!" she added with a triumphant smile as the door opened.

Thor and Sif walked into the flat from the balcony, each immediately scanning the area for any kind of threat or alarm, but nothing happened.

"We must be quick," Sif hissed, quickly moving into the flat. Thor followed, each looking for any information that would help Asgard, and specifically Frigga, understand Hermione better.

"This is promising," Thor said, noticing a biography on a coffee table after most of the rest of the flat proved worthless.

"There are more here," Sif announced, pulling a couple books from the bookshelf.

The sound of a key in the lock of the front door drew both their attention.

"It'll have to do," Thor hissed, rushing for the balcony, Sif close behind. They shut the door as quietly as they could, then used balconies and a fire escape to get down to the street, hiding in the shadows of an alley.

"The more time I spend around Loki the more I feel I am picking up his poor habits," Sif panted.

"It is not as though you do not spend more time around him voluntarily," Thor replied with a smile. "How are you feeling about the situation?"

"I wish the girl luck," she replied.

"Sif, you know that was not my intention with the question."

She shot him a look before saying, "I believe it best for both of us that he finds himself bound to another."

"You do not believe what you had with him was healthy?"

"I do not believe 'healthy' will ever describe a relationship with him, which is why I wish the girl luck," she said, looking at one of the book. "'War heroine'," she read off the cover. "She may yet stand a chance against him."

"Perhaps we should explore a little about her ourselves before we give these to Mother?" he asked cautiously.

She considered it for a moment. "I cannot see the harm in doing a little research of our own," she murmured.

"Come, we'll find some clothes and a place to gather information about Lady Granger. They have a drink here you must try called coffee..."

Up in Hermione's flat Theodore Nott lowered his wand after determining that the noise he heard entering the apartment didn't come from any intruder he could find. He got himself a drink of water before starting on the daunting task of setting up the proper protective spells on the flat. It may draw a little notice from the Muggles, but then again, so would Asgardians approaching Hermione in her home. She was ready to get out of the chateau, to go home, and, he thought, perhaps start accepting that her situation was starting to look hopeless.

**Next chapter the real fun begins...**


	6. Chapter 6

**I am busy tonight, so you get this a bit early.**

**I mentioned this was written for a smutfest, right?**

"Are you sure this is a bright idea?" Draco asked the next night, not bothering to knock as he walked into her room, where she sat wearing nothing but her knickers, a bra, and a thin robe. She was sitting at the vanity, applying some light makeup, and didn't bother to look up as he entered. Looking up would remind her of the dozens of times they had been late, or missed reservations, because he had interrupted her as she got ready for no other reason other than throwing her on the bed of their flat and fucking her senseless, and it was a distraction she did not need in her current, sexually frustrated state.

"Forget how to knock?" she sighed, tightening the robe around herself.

"I never had to knock before," he pointed out.

"There were... other circumstances," she replied.

"There were," he murmured, sinking onto the edge of the bed. "Which is why I'm concerned about you."

"What's the worst that could happen? Asgard finds me? In case you don't remember, one of them already found me. I trust him when he says they won't force me to go back."

He cocked an eyebrow, "You put a lot of faith in someone who is a pretty well known liar."

"You forget, I put my faith in you," she replied cheekily. "If you don't remember your time at Hogwarts..."

"No need to bring up ancient history, Granger," he snarled.

"But it is so much fun to rile you, ferret," she smirked.

"I just... don't want you to go," he sighed. "I have a feeling something, well, not sure if it's bad, but something big is going to happen to you tonight."

"I didn't take you for a believer of divination," she muttered. "I'll be fine. Really. It's just a hen do."

"It's a Muggle hen night," he sighed.

"With several witches attending."

"You, Pansy, and Astoria. Not that I think the three of you are bad at performing magic, I just think the three of you are pretty bad at performing magic after you've had a few drinks, and I know all of you. They're going to be pissed in two hours, and there is a good chance you will be close behind."

"Well I won't be," she said, turning to look at him. "I promise. I will stay sober, I will stay with the group and I will stay the hell out of any of those circles that mean they're about to try to come get me."

"That doesn't mean they won't send someone after you."

"They haven't done that yet," she pointed out.

"You were with one of their own, and not a bunch of rowdy, flirtatious women."

"Honestly, what would they gain from kidnapping me from a public venue? When we thought I needed to stay in magical areas it was because we didn't want them finding me. Loki found me. He's more than enough to get me back to Asgard if that was their plan, but he hasn't. If he hasn't, I don't think the rest of them will."

"How can you be sure? For all you know the minute you step back into the Muggle world on your own their king will give the order to bring you back?"

"I have been out there and nothing like that happened. Besides, Loki told me he won't act as long as perceptions are that we are getting along."

"There's you again with the blind trust!" he snapped.

"I don't have a reason not to trust him," she pointed out. "He's in the same situation I am. We both want to get out of this."

"How can you be sure that's what he wants? Because he told you? Again, I'll point out he's a known liar."

"I trust him on this," she looked him in the eyes "I know you think I'm being foolish, and perhaps I am, but it is my life and my risk to take. I don't see it as much of a risk, and I need to go out with some friends for a night."

He sighed, but nodded. "I'm just looking out for your safety," he muttered.

"I know," she nodded. "And I appreciate it. Is there something I could do to make you feel better about me going?"

"Let me bring you home at the end of the night? I've already agreed to help Pansy and Astoria, but they said you were thinking you'd just take a taxi to the flat and stay the night there."

"I think it's about time for me to go home. Theo put up the extra wards, it should be safe for me there."

"Just let me take you."

"You know that just ruins my plan of picking up a random Muggle and having a good time, right?" she smirked.

"That doesn't sound like you," he smirked.

"Desperate times, Draco. It's been nearly a month."

"Can't have that. You know, I haven't had anything in three weeks, either..." he said, cocking an eyebrow and smirking.

"Leave, Draco," she said firmly.

"I'll see you at three," he chuckled, throwing a pillow at her before leaving.

She shook her head before turning back to the vanity to finish her makeup, tame her hair, and put on a few pieces of jewelry. Then she put on a deep green skirt, and a white and black blouse. She put some Muggle money, her identification, and her wand in her purse before checking her reflection one more time, and Apparating to the outskirts of London.

Much to everyone's surprise Blaise Zabini had started dating a Muggle woman not long after Hermione and Draco had started seeing each other. Hermione had encouraged Draco and his friends all go with her to an outdoor concert to start getting them acclimated to Muggle culture, and Melanie, confident and pretty, had set her sights on the dark-skinned Slytherin within minutes of their arrival. The two spent most of the concert together, and within a month were seeing each other. A month before Draco proposed to Hermione, Blaise had proposed to Melanie, who had enthusiastically agreed. While Melanie had been let into the secret of the magical world about a month prior to the hen party most of her friends were Muggles, and thus she was having a Muggle hen party, inviting the three witches she had gotten most friendly with during her and Blaise's courtship. Tall and olive-skinned, with straight black hair inlaid with blue streaks, Melanie was hard to miss as Hermione stepped out of the alleyway near the restaurant they'd be starting the night. She hurried over, giving Melanie a quick hug as she arrived.

"I'm so glad you could make it," Melanie smiled.

"Thank you for inviting me," Hermione replied.

"No need to thank me, you're my mate. Of course you'd be invited. Have you met my friends, Erin and Sarah, and my sister, Cassandra?"

Hermione nodded to each of the women in turn as Pansy and Astoria arrived, and introductions went around. They headed into the restaurant, and entertained themselves with wine and talk of the upcoming wedding until their entrees came, and the subject turned to everyone's relationship status.

"Seeing anyone new yet, Hermione?" Melanie asked, after explaining Hermione had recently broken off an engagement.

"Um, well, I wouldn't say seeing someone, though I'm not, strictly speaking, on the market," Hermione replied, letting the wine loosen her lips slightly.

"Oh!" Pansy squealed. "What's his name?"

"No," Hermione shook her head. "Not yet."

"Really, Hermione, we're all friends here. We won't go 'round telling anyone," Melanie pleaded.

"No," she replied more forcefully.

"That bad?" Pansy smirked.

"Not bad. Just... it's complicated. And I'm not sure anything is going to come of it."

"Can we at least know what he's like?"

"Physically?"

"You can start there."

"He's... a little older than us. Tall. Lanky, but not overly so. Pale. Long black hair..."

"Oh, please tell me it's not Snape," Astoria gasped.

"Who?" Melanie asked.

"Our old professor."

"No!" Hermione said a little too loudly. "You're not the first person to think that. Does that really seem like my type?"

"Well, he's a smart bloke, you're a smart woman, you're both stubborn as hell when you want to be, you both can be real pains in the arse at times, and, when you're mad, you're both terrifying," Pansy offered.

"Thank you, I needed the uplifting words," she rolled her eyes, and the table laughed. "No, it's not Snape. This man is... somewhat in the same vein, but charming, at least, when he wants to be."

"That certainly sounds like a lovely description," Astoria giggled. "When do we get to meet him?"

"It's more a matter of 'if' you get to meet him. Our relationship, it's either going to last forever, or go to hell in a hand-basket very quickly very soon."

"Now I have to meet him," Melanie laughed. "I want to know the type of man who gets that description."

"We'll see," Hermione muttered with a half-smile, then quickly changed the topic. They got through dinner and took a couple taxis to a nearby nightclub Melanie favored. Blaise had booked them a table in the VIP section, and they found a bottle of champagne waiting for them. After pouring everyone a glass Melanie and her friends went to dance, while Hermione, Astoria, and Pansy decided to stay at the table for a bit to talk.

"Okay, we know you had to keep quiet around the Muggles, but who is he?" Astoria asked, not bothering to keep her voice down in the drowning tones of the nightclub's music.

"I'm not telling you lot, either," Hermione shook her head.

"Come off it, he can't be that bad."

"Unless he really is Snape," Pansy added.

"It's not Snape!" she shook her head. "And I'm not telling you lot because it seriously is the most complicated relationship I've ever heard of, and I'm not willing to discuss it unless something comes of it."

"You aren't any fun," she pouted.

"Unless we get a few drinks in you, and then you'll start singing," Astoria smirked.

"I will be doing no such thing," Hermione laughed.

"The getting pissed, or the talking?"

"I'd say both, but considering Draco is the one taking us home, I plan on drinking a fair bit," though she mentally remembered she promised not to drink too much as she sipped her champagne.

"Oh, is that the mystery man? Draco coming back into the picture?"

"I said _dark_ haired."

"Hair dye is a thing now, I've heard."

"It's not Draco. Can you imagine him with dark hair? He'd look ghastly."

"We'll figure it soon enough," she smirked.

She rolled her eyes, and turned to Pansy. "And how has Flint been?" she asked, knowing the topic would start a rant that lasted several minutes. Pansy and Marcus Flint had been seeing each other for two years, and it was the most tumultuous relationship Hermione had ever witnessed. Despite the near constant fighting and complaining about one another they were still together, and Hermione had become quite skilled at bringing up the topic when she wanted to quickly and completely change the subject. Pansy's new gripe, a forgotten anniversary of some sort or another, lasted twenty minutes until the rest of the group sat down in a fit of giggles.

"This table is too dry," Cassandra lamented. "Who wants to go get a round?"

"I have one here," a smooth male voice cut in, holding out a tray of drinks. Hermione didn't need to look up to know it was Loki. He stood out in the more casual atmosphere of the club, wearing a perfectly cut three piece black suit, a green and gold patterned scarf hanging around his neck despite the heat in the room.

"Is there nowhere I'm safe from your interference?" Hermione shot him a smile.

"I must have been mistaken when I perceived that you were enjoying my company," he replied.

"I wasn't at a hen do then," she pointed out.

"My apologies," he said, giving her a look of remorse. "Perhaps I should buy another round of drinks in penance?"

"You can keep him if he's buying," Melanie laughed.

"You can keep him either way," Sarah added.

"What do you want?" Hermione asked, her eyes not leaving Loki.

"A dance?" he asked, holding out a hand.

Hermione hesitated.

"Bloody hell, Hermione, if you don't, I will," Astoria hissed, giving her a push.

"One dance," Hermione sighed, quickly downing the drink before standing and allowing him to lead her onto the packed dance floor. She snaked her arms around his neck and started moving in time with the music, and he placed his hands on her waist, drawing her close.

"For some reason I don't picture this being a popular dance on Asgard," she murmured.

He chuckled. "No, it is not, and it probably would be considered a bit personal to be doing in public. You forget, however, that this is not Asgard, and I am not bound by their sense of decency while here."

"Is that gatekeeper watching?"

"I thought it... prudent to let him look at the moment, however I have ways of keeping his eyes from us."

"Why are you here?"

He paused. "As soon as you left the protection of that home Heimdall began watching. It would not be advantageous for him to see you out dancing with another while our bind is still in place, and as such I thought it best to stake my claim, so to speak, now before you had imbibed too much and started to loose composure. Had something happened Heimdall may have alerted Father if his perception is that things are not going well between us."

She wasn't sure she believed the words, but she nodded nevertheless. "We certainly don't need something like that," she replied.

"I've let him see enough to alleviate all fears."

The song changed, and she subconsciously started moving her hips in time with the new song, which was slower, and her hips slid against his with every other beat.

"Ever been to a night club before?" she asked.

"As you pointed out, this sort of thing is not a form of entertainment on Asgard."

"That doesn't mean you haven't been to Midgard before."

"True, but no. This is my first experience."

"Enjoying yourself?"

"I do not enjoy the crowd, but the company..." his hand found the small of her back and pulled her even closer, "... is much appreciated."

She drew in a ragged breath as the proximity and friction between them caused a wave of heat to wash over her and settle just below her waist, and she scrambled to find something to distract her.

"It's obvious you're not used to going to a club. You certainly stand out," she smirked.

"And how is that, milady?" he asked.

"You're overdressed," she said, running a hand over his waistcoat. "How many men do you see in three-piece suits here?"

He didn't look around. "What are you insinuating, Lady Granger? That I should shed some of my garments?"

She fought the flush threatening to take over her face, and felt her heart flutter as the fire in her abdomen flared. Whatever had been growing between them suddenly became an internal monster, one she would either have to run from, or face head-on, and she quickly realized she was not in the mood for running. "That might not be unwelcome," she replied with a flirtatious smile.

"You are unsure?"

Struck by her own boldness she leaned forward and put her lips near his ear. "Persuade me," she whispered.

He turned to look at her in surprise, and she caught his lips in a long, slow kiss. When she broke away from him and looked up at his face she saw his eyes alight, almost dangerous.

"Come," he purred, taking her hand and leading her through the crowd and away from the group. He steered her down a short hallway and out an emergency door, though the promised alarm didn't sound. They exited up a short staircase into an alley, but he didn't slow. As though he knew the city by heart he steered her deeper into the darkness until the sounds of the streets were muffled and the windows around them were dark, with only a single light high up on a building casting a dim glow below. Without warning he turned to her, pushing her against the wall and crashing his lips into hers. She responded enthusiastically, wrapping her hands in the scarf to hold him in place. His hands ran along the bottom of her blouse, pulling it free of the skirt, and his cool hands slid along the skin of her lower abdomen and back. The feeling of his skin on hers emboldened her even more, and she dropped the scarf and started fumbling with the tie around his neck, pulling it free and letting it drop to the ground. His lips strayed from hers, trailing across her jaw and to her neck, kissing, suckling, and nipping, each different touch eliciting a new mewl of pleasure from her. He pulled his hands from under her blouse and ran them up the front, cupping her breasts and causing her to momentarily forget her goal of opening his waistcoat.

"More," she begged, thrusting her chest brazenly towards him, accentuating her need by finishing with the waistcoat.

There was no patience in his movements, his hands squeezing her breasts almost painfully tightly, but in the moment she had gotten what she wanted, and she moaned her approval a little too loudly, then suddenly realized they were relatively exposed.

"Someone might see," she hissed as Loki's fingers found the buttons on the front of the blouse and started deftly opening each.

"They could be trying to look and see right through us," he assured her, and she felt the last of her inhibitions slip away as he pulled the blouse open, pulled her bra down, and freed her breasts into the cool night air. Pausing only to lift her so her legs wrapped around his waist and her breasts were closer to his height, his mouth found her nipple. He swirled his tongue around her peak, and she felt all her muscles strain to get closer to him, her hand tugging so hard on his shirt she felt two of the buttons give, exposing part of his chest. An apology fought its way to her lips, but Loki's teeth gently tugging her peak drowned the words in a hiss of encouragement.

She finally got his shirt open, and ran her fingers over his chest in wonder. Loki had looked so slender in the sea of large, muscle-bound bodies on Asgard, but the body under her touch was all hard, lean muscles. The God of Lies even lied with his appearance, next to his brother he looked positively pathetic, skinny, the type to hide in the back of the room and let others fight, but she did not doubt that Loki would be able to hold his own in a physical confrontation. She wanted to feel more, running her hands down his abdomen to his belt, and loosened it with one quick motion. Loki growled against her skin in response, placing one hand on her skirt and twisting it as he pulled back, until the fabric was bunched around her waist. Her response was to flick open the button of his trousers and lower the zipper, reaching inside to run her fingers along him, thick and hard. The hand that had pulled her skirt up slid between their bodies, running over her knickers.

"So wet, so eager," he murmured against the skin of her chest. "Is this for me, Hermione?"

"Yes," she whimpered as his fingers grazed her nub, and she wrapped a hand around him and tugged gently. He allowed her to carry on as he lavished attention on her second breast, but she tensed as she heard voices coming down the nearby alley, though they quickly passed by.

"We shouldn't be doing this here," she moaned, but there was no conviction behind the words.

"Do you not trust that I am keeping us hidden?" he sneered.

"I... oh!" she was cut off as he pushed her knickers to the side and one finger slid inside her.

"Tell me you do not want this," he chuckled.

"I want this!" she cried as a second finger joined the first, and he started moving them in a come-hither motion.

He kissed her again, deep and demanding, and she whimpered into his mouth as he brushed her sweetest spot.

"Stop me," he murmured against her lips, his voice somewhere between a challenge and a plea. In the back of her mind she knew they should stop, should talk about his concern, what was causing in the hesitation in his voice, but the words wouldn't come.

"Loki, please," she whispered, bucking her hips against him.

It was the only encouragement he needed, and he pushed his trousers and shorts down just far enough to free himself and bury himself inside her, stretching her perfectly, and she bit into the skin of his shoulder to stifle the loud moan that threatened to escape. There was no moment of pause for the two lovers to get used to the feeling of each other. He immediately drew himself mostly out before thrusting roughly back into her, his body slamming so hard against hers she felt the brick behind her scratch the skin of her back. And yet she had no complaints, could only moan and gasp words of encouragement, _harder, faster, fuck me, please,_ in random order as her body started to coil in anticipation of release. The hand not supporting her roamed around her at random, seemingly knowing exactly when to twist her nipples, tighten on the skin of her leg, or pull her hair to tilt her head, giving his lips better access to her neck.

Soon she felt herself so close to the edge that even the words wouldn't form on her lips. His hand slipped between them, deft fingers finding her nub and starting to rub in small circles.

"I want to feel it, Hermione," he purred in her ear. "I want to feel you come apart against me."

She shifted her hips against him as she felt her muscles tighten.

"Come now, my witch," he hissed, the hand supporting her pulling her painfully against him as he held off his own climax.

Her body obeyed his smooth voice, winding so tight she couldn't draw a breath before exploding in release. Her body melted against the wall as she desperately tried to catch her breath as her body trembled as he drove into her a few more times before climaxing with a primal snarl. He leaned into her, resting his forehead against her collarbone, as he, too, took deep breaths in the effort to get his breathing under control. A long moment passed where neither of them moved or made a sound, tough their hands still kept them close together. Finally Loki withdrew, and lowered her gently to the ground before starting to put his clothes back in place.

"I apologize," he murmured.

Hermione's hands paused, one button halfway done on her blouse. "Whatever for?"

"I lost myself. It was disrespectful of me to ignore your concerns."

"In case you didn't notice, I wasn't being very forceful in my objections," she pointed out.

His eyes flicked to hers. "You deserve better."

"I'll decide what I want, thanks. If you think I deserve better, fine. Show me better," she snapped, grabbing his arm before he could object and Apparating them to her flat.

"This is not an intelligent idea," he said, though he didn't make a move away from her.

"In for a penny, in for a pound," she replied. "We've already jumped off that cliff, may as well do it properly."

"Very well," he said, kissing her again, and she immediately started pulling off his clothing, not caring where the scarf, jacket, and waistcoat fell. She maneuvered them towards the bedroom, discarding random bits of clothing as they went, until they stood by her bed in only their undergarments. Without warning he picked her up and laid her down in the middle of the bed, immediately climbing atop her and roughly attacking her neck, one hand holding her head to the side. Her fingers grazed down the skin of his back, and she pushed her chest up, inviting him to remove her bra, which he eagerly did.

"Absolutely stunning," he murmured, looking down at her mostly-nude form, and the distance between their bodies gave Hermione her first good look at him, and the sight itself sent a pulse of heat through her core. She had been right about him being built of lean muscle, but his body wasn't perfection. A scar ran across the left side of his chest, another down his right hip. She immediately became less concerned about her own imperfections, and drew him down to her again. His lips found each breast in turn, taking time to lightly bite, suck, and flick his tongue across each peak until her mewls of pleasure demanded more. In a fluid motion he kissed down the plane of her stomach while also pulling her knickers from her body and casting them aside. Before she could protest his tongue met her nub, and she let off a cry of pleasure. It didn't take long for him to bring her to the edge with his tongue, and she felt him roughly push her legs down to the bed to keep them in place as her body tightened uncontrollably, and another orgasm ripped through her.

Not one to waste time Loki stepped from the bed and rid himself of his shorts, and even though she was still coming down she took the time to appreciate him, long and thick, a sight she hadn't had a chance to admire in the alley. He quickly climbed back into the bed, positioning himself between her legs before pushing into her. This time he did pause, kissing her as he was fully inside her. The quick, hard thrusts she was expecting didn't come, when his hips started moving it was slower, though not too slow, in a steady rhythm she was easily able to pick up and match with movements of her own. She lifted her legs a little higher on him, giving him a new angle, allowing him to enter her even deeper. Her fingers tightened against his skin as her head fell back, and she felt his lips trail over her neck, but each movement seemed to blend into the last until it felt as through he were kissing several places at once.

Without warning he turned them on their sides, one hand guiding her leg wrapped over his body into a comfortable position before sliding around her back to draw her closer, his lips trailing over her shoulder and arm now. She ran her fingers up his back, feeling the muscles tighten and release with each of his movements, and up into his hair, eliciting a groan from him when she scratched her fingernails lightly across his scalp.

Though she had no sense of time it felt like too soon her body started to coil again, and she shifted her hips until he was hitting her sweetest spot with each thrust. With her arms around him she drew herself into him, letting off a cry into his chest as her orgasm finally released the tension he had built. She could tell by his ragged breathing he wasn't far behind, and a few thrusts later he began to shudder with his own release. After staying locked for a few seconds he carefully withdrew himself from her, and they laid next to each other on the bed, not speaking or touching, as the gravity of their actions started to settle in.

The was a sharp crack from the front room that immediately cut through the tension between them, and Hermione reacted almost instinctively, jumping out of bed and summoning a dressing gown to wrap around herself.

"Hermione?" Draco's voice called right before she stumbled into the hall, making sure to pull the door shut behind her.

"Yes, I'm here," she said, taking a moment to steady herself and make sure she was covered before striding into the room.

Draco looked at her, his face hardened in anger.

"I'm sorry," she apologized quickly. "I know, I went home early, I just..."

"Had some business to attend to?" he asked harshly, reaching out to pick up up the green and gold scarf off a chair and holding it out on one finger.

"Yes. I got carried away," she murmured.

"You had sex?" he asked plainly.

She nodded once.

"Pansy, Melanie, and Astoria remembered the man you disappeared with quite vividly. He sounded somewhat familiar."

She bit her lip and looked down, feeling blood flood her face.

"It was him, wasn't it?" he demanded, and when she glanced up she suddenly saw the side of Draco which was closer to Lucius, looming and dangerous.

"Yes," she whispered.

"What the hell were you thinking?" he shouted. "Hermione, do you realize what you've done by sleeping with him? There's a reason marriage bonds aren't fully sealed until the marriage is consummated, and that's because intimacy will cement pretty much any bond. You may have well just signed your name in your blood again."

"I've sealed the bond?" she asked, eyes widening.

"I don't know, but you sure as hell haven't hurt it!"

"I didn't... I got caught up in the moment," she whispered, on the verge of tears.

He took a couple deep breaths to calm down. "I'm sorry," he said softly. "I shouldn't have snapped at you. But it's frustrating that we've been working at this for days and you break rule number one. It's uncharacteristically boneheaded of you."

"I know I shouldn't have done it," she replied softly. "I just... I've just felt something building between us and I guess having a few drinks destroyed any inhibitions I had about him. No..." she sighed. "I wanted it, Draco. Merlin help me I've been fantasizing about him and there's something about him. I don't want him forever, but I wanted him physically, and I let my lust lead me."

He studied her for a moment. "Don't lose hope, Hermione. There's a difference between sex and intimacy. If all you two were doing was fucking than perhaps this isn't as bad as I thought. There were no feelings of anything other than lust in it for you?"

"No!" she denied emphatically. "I just felt physically attracted to him and let my physical desire overtake my rationality."

"And he feels the same?"

"I'd imagine so."

"You don't think he's tricking you, do you? Pretending he's disinterested until you're solidly bound?"

"I... I don't think so. But I can't honestly say one way or the other."

"Could we ask him?"

She nodded, and turned back to her room, but when she got to the door she found the bed empty. The door to the bathroom was open, and she could see he wasn't in their either.

"He left," she said to open air.

"Oh," Draco replied simply.

"I guess that answers that question," she muttered, trying to hide her disappointment even from herself, going back into the room with him and falling onto her couch.

"Are you alright?" he asked, sitting next to her and drawing her to him.

"Yes," she replied. "I didn't have any expectations, so this isn't that surprising."

He rubbed her arm and kissed the top of her head. "We'll find something," he said, though she could tell he was unsure.

"What if we don't?" she asked.

"It'll be alright."

"Draco..."

"If we don't find something and you're stuck with the bond it really isn't all that bad. Speaking as someone whose family has practiced the fine art of arranged marriages for centuries I know that once a male heir is born everything sort of becomes a free for all. You show up on his arm when you need to and shag the wait staff after."

"Draco!" she chuckled.

"Don't tell me he's not up to it. I've read a bit about him in the last few days. He's can change what he looks like more effectively than a metamorphagus, and, if what I've read is true, doesn't give much a damn how he gets his rocks off, if he even has rocks in whatever form he was in."

She laughed. "Asgard might have a little different attitude about extramarital affairs than we do," she pointed out.

"You're from here. Hold yourself to our standards. Plus, I am one bloody discrete lover."

"Oi! What makes you think I'd want you to fulfill the position?"

"I am just as handsome and charming as he is," he smirked. "I'm probably just as good in bed."

She raised an eyebrow. "Do you really want me to make a comparison?"

"Probably not," he yawned.

"Go home," she said, yawning after him. "Get some sleep."

"Yes, ma'am," he smirked, kissing her hair again before standing and starting a fire for the Floo before pausing and looking back at her. "Hermione?"

"Yes?"

"Do I need to tell you that a repeat of tonight's performance will only further complicate things?"

"No. It shouldn't happen again."

"See that it doesn't. Good night."

"Good night, Draco," she murmured as the flames glowed green and he disappeared.

She looked around the room, half expecting Loki to re-appear with an annoyed quip, but nothing happened. She debated calling for him, but decided against it, and walked into her bedroom to go to sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

Loki didn't appear at all the next day, and Hermione wasn't sure how she felt about his absence, so she took the day for herself lest she go crazy thinking about bonds or Asgard. As she soaked in a bath before bed she had decided it was for the best, that Loki not staying the night helped her keep an emotional distance, and that distance would be essential should they find a way to break the bond. When Monday came she decided it was time to go back to work. She wanted to look at some of the objects that had been found with the scroll, but as she was still trying to keep the secret she could only do it by going in for a full day's work. She dressed very conservatively for the warm day, covering the marks Loki had left on her neck, arms, and thighs. For once she was quite happy that the majority of her co-workers did not suffer gossip, and barely acknowledged her as she went through security and wandered through the labyrinth of smaller, more open offices, toward the back where those, like her, whose days were filled with more valuable, rare, or dangerous items, worked in unmarked, tomb-like offices where security was given a top priority. Her office was tucked in a corner and down a short hall, away from the goblins' areas, and for the most part they seemed to be content leaving each other alone, and that suited her just fine.

She got in and immediately started pulling out the other items Theo had sent from the monument, but her stomach dropped as she realized these would be of little help. Swords, shields, armor... everything one would expect from such a structure. Still, she would scrutinize each one to make sure there really was nothing. All morning she studied and prodded, hoping to find a secret hidden in something, but nothing came. After lunch she continued, but the pile of items quickly dwindled, and at around three she sent the proper paperwork to the goblins with a heavy heart, her search having been in vain.

She was contemplating leaving early, when there was a knock on her door. Knocks were uncommon, a goblin would never do in person what could be done with paper, and the only time anyone really knocked was to drop off more items for her scrutiny, and she had always been given notice to expect a shipment.

"Come in," she called as she put things away, waving her wand at the door so it opened a crack. A goblin, one she knew manned one of the desks in the front, came in.

"Visitor for you, Miss Granger," he said in his grunt-like voice.

"May I ask who?"

"He said you were expecting him, that you had arranged for him to bring some items in for appraisal," he sounded suspicious.

Hermione's eyes flicked back to the door, and to her surprise Loki appeared in the frame, carrying a long, thin box and wearing a mischievous smile.

"Lo... Mr. Odinson!" she corrected quickly, standing ramrod straight and trying to show no other form of reaction. "I'm... I'm so sorry. I wrote our meeting in for tomorrow. Come in, make yourself at home," she gestured toward a chair.

"Thank you, Miss Granger," Loki stepped in, but didn't sit.

"Summon us if you need anything, Mr. Odinson," the goblin said with a jerky bow, and it scurried from the room.

"What are you doing here?" Hermione hissed when she was sure it was gone.

Loki didn't reply. He placed the box down on the chair, and closed the door. Hermione knew his intentions when he closed the door, and she heard the locks clicking as he did so. A wave of desire rushed over her as she realized he had no intention of showing her whatever was in the box. Confirming what she was thinking he stepped to her, and gave her a long, slow kiss.

"Kneel," he ordered against her lips.

She was struck dumb by the demand. At first she thought she might not be able to move, but then she felt her legs start to bend, and the next thing she knew her knees were hitting the industrial carpet.

A satisfied smirk crossed his face as he pulled his jacket off and carefully hung it on the rack she kept in the corner. "You are quite eager to please," he said, walking around her and winding a hand in her hair, pulling her head back to force her to look into his face. "An admirable quality, though I doubt you are being altruistic. You want something from me in the end."

"You know I do," she shot back.

"So... independent," he let go of her hair and stood in front of her, leaning slightly on her desk. "You are an intelligent woman."

"By that you mean I know a bit of work will get me what I want," she murmured, running a hand up the leg of his suit and coming to rest on his growing bulge. She tugged open his belt and lowered the zipper, then pushed down his pants to free him. "I also know you don't want to waste words right now," she smirked up at him before taking him into her mouth. Hermione watched his face as she moved her mouth over him, and she felt her excitement grow as she did. There was something in the knowledge that she was causing someone as powerful as Loki to lose his composure and show cracks in his carefully constructed persona that added fuel to the fire in her abdomen and send flames through her body until every nerve was alight. He clutched the desk for support as tremors shot through his body when she took as much of him as she could into her mouth and let off a low humming noise in the back of her throat. She pulled his trousers and shorts down even further so she could scratch her fingernails down the inside of his thighs. He let off a growl of approval and his hand came out to wind in her hair again, pulling her off him.

"Over the desk," he ordered, breathing heavily.

She scrambled to her feet and bent over the desk, pushing a few important papers to the side and not caring that a couple slipped over the edge to the floor. Without a word he pushed her skirt up to her hips and pulled her knickers to the side before pushing roughly into her. She reached back and gripped the edge of the desk to push back against him, lifting her torso until she felt him hit her sweetest spot, and mewling in pleasure as he did. One of his hands gripped her hip so tightly she could feel a mark start to form, while the other reached around her chest to open her blouse and fondle her breasts.

Their coupling was quick and rough, and she bit her lip to keep it as quiet as possible, though there was a tense moment when her name plaque fell from the desk with a loud clank. When he felt her walls start to tighten against him the hand moved from her breasts to her neck, pulling her head up and to the side to quiet her moan as she climaxed, shuddering as she fought her legs giving out from under her. A few thrusts later he spilled inside her, and after a moment he released her, and she rested on her elbows on the desk for a moment until her wobbly legs felt under her control. He had already put himself back together as she stood and pulled her skirt down.

"I really can't condone you coming here to bother me at work," she muttered, picking up the papers and plaque from the floor.

"That was not my plan," he said smoothly, picking up the box and placing it on her desk.

"Considering the speed at which we got into things I'm sincerely doubting that statement."

He smirked, but opened the fasteners on the box, and opened the top. There were several smaller boxes inside, which he carefully picked up and set aside. The thing below it was covered in a thin, shimmering fabric.

"I know this is a profession for you," he said softly. "And so I thought to and bring you a few things for you to look over and, should you desire, appraise. The goblins seemed pleased with what they saw, so if you wish to purchase any most are for sale. However, this," he said, patting what was under the fabric, "is purely academic, though I understand if you must write a report on it, as the goblins did see."

"Academic?" she straightened, and craned her neck to see.

"Gungnir," he said softly, pulling the fabric aside, and Hermione let off a soft noise of excitement. "Father has temporarily stripped much of its power as a precaution, but he thought someone with as inquisitive of a mind as yours may be interested in the history of the thing."

"Yes, please," she said excitedly.

"You may pick it up, it has seen a hundred battles, I do not think a touch as light as yours will be what finally destroys it."

Despite his assurances she donned a pair of white gloves before carefully picked it up with both hands, studying each inch as he told the story of how it was forged by the first Asgardian alongside Mjolnir, and passed along the line of kings.

"Will it go to the next king?" she asked.

"Technically, yes, as it belongs to the king, however, should that king be my brother he will not wield it, as he favors Mjolnir."

"Will you get it then?" she looked at him.

"Perhaps if I find myself in better standing," he said with a soft smile. "Though it does seem to find favor in you."

She looked back at the spear, and realized it was starting to emit a soft glow.

"Take the gloves off," he ordered. "I wish for you to describe how it feels in your hands."

After a moments hesitation she did as she was told, and gasped as her fingers wrapped around the shaft once more.

"It feels like it's thrumming," she whispered. "It feels... familiar. Almost like my wand felt when I first bought it."

"I believe it wants you to use it," he smiled.

"It's a bloody spear. How can it _want_ anything?"

"The way your books or your wand feels the same thing. Does your wand not feel more than a mere stick?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It does... but what would an Asgardian spear want with me?"

"It is made of a material that absorbs magic. Can you think of why it may respond so positively to you, especially since Father attempted to render it dormant?"

"It wants me to use it so it can absorb my magic?" she guessed.

"Exactly," he nodded. "It has never been around your kind of magic before."

"Of course. By the time your kind were last here the magical community had already hidden itself from the Muggles. If we weren't fighting before Asgard arrived we wouldn't fight next to them."

"Being exposed to a new magic would make it more powerful, and it recognizes a source of new magic is nearby. If you were to use it you would be teaching it your magic, and so it will try to entice you into trying it out."

"I'd prefer not teaching it anything at the moment," she said, placing it back in its case gently and covering it with the fabric.

"I have never seen someone take such care with a weapon such as Gungnir," he remarked as she scribbled a few things on a piece of paper.

"Something as powerful as it deserves a level of respect," she replied.

"What are you valuing it at?"

"I'm going to value it at five thousand galleons, but recommend not making an offer until it's origin is verified by an outside source," she replied. "After such a verification the price would become astronomical."

"That sounds like a good investment."

"I'm also writing it's a possible fake, a very good fake, but a fake nevertheless, even though I know that not to be true. The goblins would never make an offer on something that might cost them five thousand galleons."

"Clever," he smiled. "Shall we continue?"

"Please," she said, turning to the other boxes. There was dagger with a jewel-encrusted handle, a helmet Loki said belonged to his grandfather when he was young but that no one in the family particularly cared for, and an old text of Asgardian history he insisted was horribly out of date and hardly one of a kind on Asgard, but would be worth quite a bit to the bank.

"This, I would be happy to get rid of for any price," he said, lifting a box with a look of distaste and handing it to her. She opened it to find a rather brittle and jagged looking dagger.

"This doesn't look like everything else," she said.

"It is not Asgardian in origin. That belonged to a frost giant of Johtunheim."

She looked at him in excitement. "Another realm?"

"Yes."

"How did you... ruddy hell!" she hissed. As she had lifted the dagger from the box her hand immediately began to frost over, and she dropped it to the floor as she tried to massage feeling back into the digits.

Without thinking he bent to pick it up. She shouted a warning, but his fingers had already curled around the hilt, and he realized his folly as his fingers immediately began to turn blue, and the color began to quickly take over his hand, then wrist, then forearm. Her gasp hung in the air as he avoided her gaze and put the dagger back into the box. She watched in silence as his limb shifted back to its normal color. Finally he looked in her face, and was surprised to find her looking curious, not horrified as he had been expecting.

"Why did it hurt me and not you?" she asked softly.

"My body responds better to extreme cold. I should have thought that a Johtun weapon would have such a defense. Anyone not a Frost Giant who attempts to pick it up would lose their hands before being able to harm another with it."

Her brow furrowed. "Does it effect Asgardians in the same way as it did me?"

He studied her for a long moment, and the truth fell from his lips before he could stop himself. "Typically, yes, it does have the effect."

"Are you... you're not..." she stammered, then took a deep breath. "That dagger wouldn't be the only thing from Johtunheim in this room, would it?"

"No," he said shortly. "It is the place of my birth, but I did not grow up there."

She bounced on the balls of her feet as though the questions inside her may literally burst from her mouth, but she recognized the dangerous tone of his voice and kept quiet.

"Does that frighten you?" he asked softly.

"If I wasn't frightened of you before I have no reason to start now. Should I be?"

He contemplated her for nearly a minute before replying. "No," he whispered. "I won't harm you."

"Then why would my opinion of you change? It's not like I had convinced myself you were human before this. If I accepted that you were from a different realm before I don't think it much matters which realm."

Without warning he dropped the box, grabbing her arm and pulling her to him, crashing his lips into hers, and she responded enthusiastically. She was starting at him as he pulled away from her, and this time he could tell there was something bothering her, and he didn't need to ask to know exactly what it was. It was their first kiss that didn't lead to something else, there was no desire to carry the kiss on to something more, though he wondered if he shouldn't try, to cover up his sudden lapse of composure. But then she moved, looking down to cautiously pick up the dropped box and placing it back with the others, keeping her gaze pointedly away from his.

"I have one more thing to show you," he murmured, reaching for a small box. "This one isn't for sale, either, though mother insisted on my giving it to you. She heard it was customary here."

She had a sinking feeling as she opened the box and found an intricately woven ring studded with red gemstones. After staring at it for a long moment she murmured, "I can't accept this. Not while we're trying to break the bond."

"I didn't think you would, however she can be quite convincing."

"Does she know?"

"She knows we are both displeased with the bonding. However she often holds hope in the most hopeless situations."

She scowled and closed the box. "Be that as it may I really cannot accept this."

"I will hold it until we have a resolution. Should we have to accept the bond as our fate, I will gift it to you, and she will not be any the wiser that you did not take the gift at the first offer."

"Sounds fair," she muttered. "It's almost time for me to be done for the day. I'll advise the goblins make the offers on everything but the ring and Gungnir, accept what you want, they'll attempt to low-ball you on everything."

He smirked. "I may have some experience with negotiations."

"I actually should watch this. It'll be a hard object meeting an immovable force, and it'll come down to knuts."

"You are welcome to watch if you wish."

"I've actually had a rather trying day. I came here with a purpose, found absolutely nothing, and was distracted by this rather egotistical man most of the afternoon. I'm rather ready to get out of here, but I have a bit of work to finish first."

For a moment his back straightened, and he scowled, his eyes focusing on something distant she was sure wasn't really there. "Very well. Shall I see you later?" he asked, his voice suddenly sounding strained.

Her eyes narrowed as she tried to figure out his sudden change in demeanor. "Yes. Would you like to meet me at my flat?"

"I will await you there," he replied with a forced smile, and he left without another word. Hermione started putting her things away, but was interrupted a couple minutes later by Draco entering, looking harried.

"Hermione, you have to come to the chateau," he said quickly.

"Why? What's going on?" she asked, following him from the office.

"They think you're still there," he hissed softly, grabbing her arm and looking grim, warding off any questions that may come their way.

"They?"

"Asgard. And they sent someone to talk to you."

Her steps faltered. "Talk?"

"I'm pretty sure that's all she wants."

"She?"

"Just get there," he said in annoyance. "I know who she says she is, but _he's_ not there and I can't confirm anything. All I know is one of the house elves found them outside the wards and immediately contacted me, I didn't even see them myself, I told the elves to bring them inside and keep them comfortable while I came to get you."

"Wait, is it a them, or is it a she?" she asked as they walked through the front door of the bank.

"It's both. You'll see when you get there," he said, and without warning he Apparated, taking them to the edge of the wards.

"Who is it?" she demanded as he pulled her onto the property and made a beeline for the front door.

"She claims she's _his_ mother."

"Frigga?" she gasped.

"The elves didn't get her name. They just said she claimed to be the queen."

"Oh, bloody hell, haven't they heard of giving notice on Asgard?" she muttered in annoyance, straightening out her clothes as she walked up the steps. She checked her mirror in the front hall as she walked past, and followed Draco around a corner towards his sitting room. Immediately she knew what he meant by 'they', as she saw two Asgardian guards standing stoically outside the room.

"Master Draco," Harold came scurrying out of the room. "Harold got Queen Frigga of Asgard tea as Master Draco requested. Queen Frigga declined any further hospitality."

"Thank you, Harold. Please, go find something else to do for a while."

"Yes, sir," he bowed low, and scurried down the hall and out of sight. Draco and Hermione straightened in unison before walking into the room. Frigga was standing by the fireplace, looking at a picture of Hermione and Draco that had been taken during a trip to Germany. In the picture they were dancing at an outdoor festival, and Draco spun her, dipped her, and kissed her before righting her with a wide smile.

"Good evening," Draco said cordially.

"Good evening," Frigga turned to them with a warm smile, carefully placing the picture back on the mantle. "Lady Granger, it's a pleasure to see you again."

"It is good to see you again as well," Hermione replied softly, curtseying half-heartedly and hoping her irritation wasn't showing on her face.

"I have not had opportunity to meet you, Mister..."

"Malfoy. Draco Malfoy," he introduced, and Hermione couldn't stop a smirk fluttering across her lips.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Mister Malfoy," he held a hand to him, which he took, kissing her fingers as he bowed.

"It's an honor," he muttered. "What can I help you with today, your highness?"

"Please, I do not need such titles," she smiled. "I wished to speak to Hermione, if she has a spare moment."

"Of course," Hermione nodded. "Would you like to speak in here, or would the garden be preferable?"

"Wherever you are most comfortable, dear."

"Let's go to the garden," she nodded. "I know a comfortable spot."

"By the pond?" Draco asked.

"Of course," she smiled. "It is my favorite place to sit and think."

"If I'm ever lost on a gift for you I'll just build you a cottage out there," he rolled his eyes. "May I escort you?" he asked Frigga, offering her an arm.

"Thank you," Frigga inclined her head and took the arm. Hermione followed behind, but as soon as she exited the room one of the guards turned to her.

"May I escort you, Lady Granger?" he said, offering her an arm.

"I know how to walk myself, thanks," she shot back.

A knowing smile crossed his face and he glanced at the other guard, who she heard murmur, "Loki's bride."

Rolling her eyes and shaking her head she turned to walk after Draco and Frigga to see them both looking at her. Draco looked pointedly from her to the guard. Hermione sighed, and took the guard's arm, and allowed him to lead her through the house and grounds to a pond surrounded by trees. Frigga thanked Draco and sat on a bench, motioning for Hermione to sit next to her.

"Call if you need anything," Draco said, shooting Hermione a sympathetic smile as he started back towards the house.

"I must apologize for not warning you about my visit," Frigga started. "My decision to come here was done somewhat impulsively."

"It's alright," Hermione replied softly, playing with a pebble with her foot.

"For what my son has said I can tell he is holding some hesitations and resentments about the bonding."

"He's not the only one," she admitted.

"I would not expect the one whom the bond chose to accept such a thing without some reluctance," she smiled warmly.

"The bond chose?" she repeated.

"Loki is not the only one to know enough magic to alter that scroll, and while Odin was too thrilled Loki was consenting to realize it had been altered, I knew better. And so I requested to be the one to place the scroll, giving me time to make my own alterations. Before I placed it at the monument I ensured that, should it encounter a woman that met Loki's qualifications, it assist her in making the decision."

Hermione's jaw tightened as anger surged through her. "That is extremely backhanded."

"You have a fiery spirit and are unafraid to speak your mind if you see an injustice. That is one of the reasons I feel you are the right kind of woman for my son," she replied calmly. "I understand it is difficult for you to see what you have in common with him, though I know you compliment him in a way that he needs. For example, if I had told Loki of my interference with the scroll he would either lash out violently or hold his anger for months, letting it accumulate, before dispersing it in one great and terrifying show."

"What would that accomplish? Either of those would leave me nothing but more anger and no resolution."

"Which is a change I have seen in him. I know the two of you are working with each other to try to find a way to break the bond. Loki does not work with others when he can do the work himself."

"Maybe he doesn't think he can find this solution by himself."

"He spent every free moment of the first five years after the scroll was signed in libraries trying to find a way to destroy the thing or diminish its magic. He would not let any of the book keepers or any scholars assist him. Does he let any other assist him now?"

"Not voluntarily," she admitted.

"But you are different," she nodded. "He knows, because he assured it, that you are quite intelligent and will not pester him with irritating questions. You've earned the right to work alongside him, and that is not easy for one to do."

She bit her tongue, not wanting to call Loki an egomaniac in his mother's presence.

"Have you made progress in finding a break?"

"No, ma'am," she admitted. "Blood bonds are quite strong."

"Precisely why that was the method chosen. Anything less than the strongest type and Loki would have found a way to break it before the ink was dry. I am sure this ordeal has been quite frustrating for both of you."

"Truth be told, it has been."

Frigga paused, watching a duck swim across the surface of the pond. "I will not insult you by saying you do not have the age or experience to realize that this may be beneficial to you as well," she said after a long moment.

"I get that there are benefits to something like this," Hermione replied. "Especially with the... gift that has been bestowed upon me once my blood hit that scroll. However, marriage to a man I didn't even know was real two weeks ago wasn't in my life plan. And, if I may be frankly honest, the thought of being the intermediary between our realms is daunting at least, and a seemingly impossible task at most."

"It would seem difficult to you, as your realm is so fragmented in its own right. However, do not underestimate the power one holds when they are viewed as such a connection. We hope to have no need for interference in Midgard in the future, but realistically, with the realms in the state they are in, we realize it is probably only a matter of time."

"The state they are in?" she repeated softly.

"I will not attempt to make it seem as though Loki's short reign was anything less than a disaster. His actions undermined the security of our realm, and made others doubt Asgard's ability to protect and preserve the peace. There have been some negative consequences, some turmoil, that has sprung while others believe our attention is more focused on the threat from within."

"Do you still view Loki as a threat?"

"Personally, I do not," she shook her head. "But my view is not popular, and even I will admit that it would be a mistake to get comfortable with his current station and apparent compliance."

"Do you consider him dangerous?"

Frigga was quiet for a moment as she considered the question. "My son is still feeling betrayed. He is not sure of his place, and he is not sure of his next move, and that has when he has proven most volatile. This situation with the binding has not come at an opportune time, nor has it improved his mood. However, I do not believe him dangerous to you. He has felt nothing but distrust and anger as of late, though, from what I understand, you have helped alleviate those emotions."

"I may be nothing more than a bandage on a hemorrhaging wound," she murmured. "Maybe I help, but I won't fix the problem."

"I do not believe you give yourself enough credit. Loki does not invite many friends or confidants. He much prefers a smaller group that he feels he can trust. I am not sure there are many, if any, who currently fulfill that role, and it would be very difficult to go about your life with no one you feel that connection with."

Hermione took a deep breath. "What you are asking of me is not to be a connection between our realms at all, are you? You are asking me to fall in love with your son, and in such a way that he can love me as well."

Frigga looked at her, a single eyebrow raised.

"You don't want this to be just some arranged marriage where we put on a show and perhaps produce an heir. You aren't asking for my commitment to a bond I never wanted, you are asking for my very heart," she snapped. "I have no intentions of falling in love on anyone's terms but my own."

"I was under the impression you and my son were on good terms," she replied calmly.

She swallowed hard. "I have known Loki less than two weeks. That is not enough time for me to make any declaration of how I feel about him, especially seeing as he is a very complex man who demands much more than simply sitting and talking to get to know him."

"Do you not enjoy your time with him?"

"I do. That does not mean I want to be involuntarily bound to him, and certainly does not mean I want to commit myself to falling for him."

"I would not dream to ask you for a commitment," she said, standing. "I merely came to ask that you consider keeping the bond in place. I ask you not as a ruler of Asgard, but as a mother who sees a change in a son who has, for so long, been denied happiness and acceptance."

Hermione's jaw set, but she stood, and made no gesture that may be indicative of agreeing or rejecting Frigga's words.

"Good day, Lady Granger," Frigga nodded. "I pray this is not the last we see of each other."

"Good day," she replied sharply with a nod, and watched as Frigga walked away from the chateau flanked by the guards. She watched the horizon until the Bifrost had taken Frigga home, then walked to the edge of the wards and Apparated to the bedroom of her flat.

"Loki?" she called.

There was silence for a moment, then his voice came from her sitting room, "Yes?"

She slipped into the room as silently as possible. Loki was sitting on the floor by the fireplace, head turned so he could watch a dying flame, not bothering to look up at her. She cautiously walked over and sat facing him so their knees were almost touching. She watched him for a few moments, but he didn't turn his head towards her, nor acknowledge her in any way.

"Penny for your thoughts," she whispered, afraid that even touching him might set him off.

"Mother came to visit you," he murmured. "What did she want?"

"To try to encourage me to keep the bond. She said..." she took a deep breath, unsure of how he'd react to what she was about to tell him. "She said she had put her own magic into the scroll. So it would involuntarily bond someone who matched the description."

His jaw set, and his eyes narrowed, but after taking a deep breath he seemed to relax slightly. "I'm not surprised," he said softly.

"But you are disappointed."

"I have always felt as though Mother is the one who truly cared about my needs and my desires. I had hoped that she realized how upset signing that scroll made me and had hidden it away, or at least would support me should I be bound against my will. It seems I have mistaken her intentions."

"Don't be too harsh on her. I think she feels this is in your best interests. That you... deserve the love of a woman like the one the scroll describes even though you wouldn't go along with it."

"A woman like you," he pointed out.

"Just because I am bound by the scroll doesn't mean I'm right for you. You should have the final say."

"Would you want to be right for me, Hermione?"

She looked at him, confused. "I want to have the freedom to make the choice for myself, as I want you to have that same freedom. I don't think I can live up to your world, and I would not want to force my company upon you."

"Force..." he repeated softly, and returned to looking at the flame.

"Loki?" she asked so softly she wasn't sure he heard.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Could you... may I see you?"

"I am sitting right in front of you," he replied shortly.

"I mean, could I see you when you're not hidden? I saw your hand earlier, I would like to see the rest."

He looked at her suspiciously. "Why would you want to see that?" he snapped.

"I'm just curious," she replied mildly.

"I can't just turn it on and off," he replied.

"I thought you were a shape-shifter."

"That doesn't mean you'll see the correct form. You will see a front giant, but it won't necessarily be as I look. I haven't studied myself like that."

"If it's activated by extreme cold I know a spell."

"Is it that important to you?" he snapped.

"No," she shook her head emphatically. "As I said, I was only being curious. I'm sorry, please forget I asked."

He studied her for a long moment before breathing, "If you wish."

"Are you sure? I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

"No... but I give you permission regardless."

She pointed her wand at his chest, hitting him with a jet of icy blue light. A second later she could see blue creeping over his hands and up his neck. He closed his eyes and turned back towards the fire before it took over his face. She moved so she was kneeling in front of him, gently running her fingers over the newly exposed lines of his face, her other hand holding one of his. Cautiously she pulled his face so he was facing her.

"Please, look at me," she whispered.

His eyes opened to slits, and he blinked a few time as if steeling his nerves before he looked up at her. To his surprise she didn't seem fazed at all by seeing his eyes their current shade of red. Her face registered nothing but curiosity and something deeper. Perhaps compassion? He found himself holding out hope his hunch was correct.

"Does this alarm you, Hermione?" he asked.

"It didn't before, why would it now?" she asked, sounding surprised he even asked.

He moved his hand so his fingers intertwined with hers, and she let off a soft chuckle.

"Sorry, goose flesh," she smiled. "Your skin is cold."

"How long will it last?" he asked.

"Another minute, maybe less," she replied, moving so she was sitting astride his lap. "Definitely less if I can warm you up," she smirked, before kissing him slowly. His hands slipped up her side and under her blouse, tightening on her back and drawing her to him. He deepened the kiss, and she could tell there was something more in his embrace, something deeper than anything they had done before, just like their kiss in the bank.

"That seems to have done the trick," she smiled as she broke away from him and saw the blue rapidly sliding from his skin, his eyes back to their normal color.

"Does that mean you wish me to stop?" he asked, punctuating each word with a caress on her neck.

"No," she moaned, leaning into him. "Please, don't stop," she begged. She accentuated the request by pulling on his tunic, lifting it over his head, then leaning into him until he gave into the pressure and lowered himself to the floor. Breaking their embrace she sat up, her legs still astride his, and slowly unfastened each of the buttons of her blouse as his eyes hungrily watched her fingers' progress. When the blouse was completely undone she, as tantalizingly slowly as she could muster, pulled it down her arms and dropped it to the side. He tried to pull her to him, but she resisted, pushing on his chest to keep him in place before she stood and made a show of dropping her skirt to the floor. He sat suddenly, kissing her stomach as he pulled her knickers off. She helped him finish undressing, and allowed him to pull her onto his lap once more. Her hand slipped between them, wrapping around him and positioning him so she could sink slowly onto his length. She slowly moved atop him, lifting herself up before lowering herself all the way back down. Their gazes locked, and when she saw the emotion behind his orbs she realized there was something more between them in that moment. She had seen what he thought was his worst and accepted him, and he no longer merely lusted for her. He desired something more than just their romps, and she realized part of her felt the same.

His hands slid up her side, running over her bra, but he didn't take it off. Instead he cupped her breasts through it, massaging them simultaneously, causing her to throw her head back to move them as close to him as they would go. The new angle brushed her sweetest spot, and she went from bouncing on him to grinding her hips against his so she was stimulated both inside and out. Gently he pulled her down to him, locking lips, entwining the fingers of one of his hands with hers. As she felt the first tugs of her orgasm start to take over his other hand found her hip, guiding her, encouraging her to keep going as his own breath started to become ragged and his muscles began to tighten.

"Loki," she groaned against his lips as her orgasm took over her, but his grip only tightened as he kissed her neck and spilled himself inside her. Panting she rested against his chest, fingers of the hand not knowing his tracing the muscles of his chest.

"Stay here tonight," she begged softly, looking up at him.

One of his eyebrows arched for a fraction of a second, but he murmured, "I believe I can indulge that request." She stood, meaning to lead him to the bedroom, but he lifted her up, carrying her to the bed, shutting the door on a growling Crookshanks.


	8. Chapter 8

"Awaken, Hermione," Loki hissed softly, shaking her shoulder. They were lying in her bed, their fourth night with the arrangement, and Hermione was secretly starting to enjoy it. Loki was good at making her waking moments pleasant, though this morning he was being quite insistent and she was still very tired.

"What's wrong?" she muttered as sleep threatened to pull her back under. It was Friday and a bank holiday, she didn't need to get up and had planned on spending most of the day in bed.

"Draco just arrived," he replied.

"Bloody hell," she grumbled, rolling over and sliding off the bed, throwing on a dressing gown, and easing from the room, being careful to shut the door behind her. She walked to the office, where Draco was standing.

"You're up," he remarked casually.

"Very perceptive of you," she shot back. "What are you doing here?"

"Theo and I were going through some of the books from the manor..."

"Hell of an early-morning activity."

"It's almost noon."

She glanced at a clock and swore. "So it is."

"Get dressed and come over. We think we found something, but time is of the essence. The longer we wait, the stronger the bond. He's here, isn't he?"

She nodded sheepishly.

"I need to try reverse psychology with you, since you seem intent on doing the opposite of whatever you're told. Bring him, if this comes to something we're going to need him."

"We'll be there in ten minutes."

"I'll have coffee ready," he nodded, but he didn't move to leave. "Hermione, if I ask you something, will you promise not to get mad?"

"That sounds like the question is guaranteed to anger me."

"Is this... do you really want to go through with this?"

She was taken aback for a second, then turned to walk back to her room. "See you in ten minutes, Draco!" she called over her shoulder. She didn't look back before entering her bedroom. Loki was standing in her bathroom wearing only trousers, a comb in his hand, his hair mostly slicked back in its normal style. She paused a moment as she had thoughts of crawling back in bed and doing something to mess up his locks again, but she looked away, going to her closet to pull down an outfit.

"What did he want?" Loki asked, stepping out of the bathroom.

"Draco and Theo think they've found a way to get rid of the bond," she replied, dropping the dressing gown on the bed and starting to get dressed.

"How?" he demanded.

"I didn't ask. I said we'd be there in ten minutes."

"We?"

"He said they'd need you to do this. I didn't ask anything more," she said quickly, cutting off his next question. "We have to go to figure out what they found."

He nodded, and ten minutes later they were walking through the large front door of the chateau, not waiting for Harold to appear to take them to the library. When they arrived Theo and Draco were bent over the same book, talking in low voices.

"What did you find?" she asked by way of greeting.

"Let me start by saying this is not a sure thing," Theo said, looking at her. "This is based on _our_ magic, and, well, to be frank, you two have literally fucked yourselves into a tighter bond."

"What do you think the chances of it working are?" she asked.

"I honestly have no idea. There's a lot to take into consideration, and a lot of what we've pieced together is conjecture and speculation at this point. Asgardian magic doesn't seem that much different from ours, at least in principle. You two, from what Draco have told me, have been fucking every chance you get, but there's a big difference between sex and intimacy. If you've just been fucking for the sake of fucking it won't be so bad as if you are making love or whatever you want to call it."

Hermione and Loki shared a glance the others missed.

"I can't give you a number as to the chances. Even in the book it says that the process often fails."

"Why does it fail?"

"Good question, they didn't get into specifics. I'm not sure they even knew, though there was some speculation. One of the bound partners has a change of heart, the bond is too strong or intricate, just plain ineptitude... it's anyone's guess, really."

"What does it involve?" Loki asked softly.

"Well, strictly speaking, we won't be breaking the bond with this," Draco said grimly. "What the bond did was entwine your life forces, and your magic. Best guess is that's why Hermione suddenly feels more powerful, and probably has a longer life span, and why _you,_" he looked at Loki, "have been able to use one of our wands to perform magic you haven't been able to before."

"What we have to do is disentangle the life forces and magic," Theo continued. "Basically forcing them apart and putting them somewhere they can't entwine back into each other. Loki will no longer be able to use one of our wands, Hermione will be back to where she was before the binding happened."

"How do we do that?" Hermione asked.

"The spells aren't that big of a problem," Draco told her. "The problem lies in that, once the bond was created, this part of your magic stopped being 'yours', and it, for lack of a better word, doesn't want to be confined to your body. It wants to be shared. Ideally, the person it shares with is the one you have the blood bond with, and if you are ever present in any form with each other again, the bond will re-establish itself."

"So, we can't see each other after without the bond taking hold again?"

"Not just see," he said grimly. "You can't even think about each other. If you think about each other at the same time that's often enough. It is like the bond has a life of it's own, and it wants you two to be bound together. In order to prevent the two of you from thinking about each other, we're going to have to wipe the memories of your time together completely from your mind, then we're going to have to ensure neither of you look at each other again."

Hermione bit her lip, and glanced at Loki out of the corner of her eye. Loki was standing stoically, giving no reaction to the news.

"What did you mean when you spoke of it wanting to be 'shared'?" Loki finally asked.

"According to the process it would be very difficult for the bond to confine itself completely in you. A bond, by nature, involves more than one person. It does not do well for the mental health of the bonded to be bound only to themselves."

"So how do we get around that?" Hermione asked softly.

"Satisfy the bond by establishing weaker bonds with those whom your energy has already formed a voluntary bond to. The more the better. There are three types you can establish these weaker bonds to; those to whom you share blood, those to whom you share loyalty, and those to whom you've shared intimacy. None of these bonds will be as intense as the original bond, at most you'll feel a heightened sense of obligation to those people, and a deeper sense of loss should you lose them. Even then, if you get one of each of the three types, the feelings might not be enough to notice."

"The blood one is going to be problematic," she murmured, looking at Loki.

"Why? Mothers are the strongest bond for that, and we can bring your mothers here..."

"I do not share blood with Mother," Loki replied.

"He doesn't share blood with any of his family," Hermione added softly.

"Adopted?" Theo asked.

Hermione nodded as Loki's jaw tightened.

"And you have no contact with your birth parents?"

"I killed the one who sired me, and as for his mate, there is a good chance I have already dispatched her to wherever she believes she goes after death. Even if she still lives, I would never share a bond with her."

He looked at Hermione, who shook her head and mouthed, _Don't ask._

"We don't need all three," Theo pointed out. "We still have loyalty and intimacy."

"We are talking more than whatever you have just fucked around with. You know, intimacy, where you actually care about your partner," Draco sneered towards Loki.

Loki shot him a dark look. "I will speak to Sif," he said, tension thick in his voice. "I cannot promise she will agree, but if the bond does not disrupt our daily lives she may be amenable."

"I'll stand with you for that part," he looked at Hermione.

She nodded, but she was still looking at Loki, her eyes betraying that she wasn't totally focused on the conversation. She didn't want to admit she had felt a twinge of jealousy when Loki had spoke of Sif, there was a reverence in his voice as he said her name, as though she was not merely a former relationship.

"The bond isn't going to make us feel those... intimate feelings again, is it?" she asked.

"Probably no more than you'd feel to a crush," Theo told her. "Nothing you'd feel like you have to act on."

"Unless you want to," Draco smirked. "I know I'm irresistible."

"That's a funny way to pronounce 'insufferable'," she shot back with a smile.

"Ouch. I may need you to nurse my wound after that," he frowned.

"Good thing you have house-elves to help you with that."

"Enough, you two," Theo chided, and Hermione looked away in embarrassment to find Loki glaring at Draco. "Moving on to loyalty. The stronger your connection to the person the more likely this will work, so we should probably get Potter for the loyalty aspect."

"Right," she muttered. "I'll talk to him."

"Do you have anyone you're loyal to?" Draco asked Loki, almost too innocently.

"This one could be your mother," Theo offered.

"No," Loki shook his head. "Mother adores Hermione. She thinks this bond is good for both of us, and would encourage us to continue and try to make it work. Father will not like this process, though he will probably accept it if we present it to him after we have completed the act."

"So you don't have loyalty, either?" he sighed.

Loki looked pained before saying softly, "My brother."

"Do you really think that counts?" Hermione asked.

"It is as close as I can get to fulfilling the requirement."

"You did try to kill him," she pointed out.

"I wasn't half-mad at the time."

"Oh, that differs from your everyday state?" Draco asked.

"Shut it, Malfoy," Hermione and Theo said at the same time.

"I admit there is more loyalty from him than to him," Loki continued, his voice strained in anger, and he was focusing on a spot just over Hermione's left shoulder. "However there is a level of loyalty there."

"If that's what we can get, that's what we can get. Otherwise we only have one, and I don't think that'll be enough," Theo said loudly, thwarting any more conversation. "The process must be started at precisely midnight, start of a new day and all that dumb stuff, and it has to be under the full moon, which is what we have tonight, and I do not think you two are going to make it another month and still have a chance to break this thing. I'm going to have to spend about two hours before with Potter, Draco, Thor, and Sif, preparing them to accept what may be a reluctant bond. They have to agree to be the new bind out of love, and because they truly feel the binding is not in the best interest of the couple, and they'll have to swear to that on the scroll."

"That part won't be a problem," Draco snorted.

"And Hermione and Loki, you'll have to spend those last two hours together, preparing yourselves to reject each other. You're going to have to get something solid between you, something about each other that you cannot forgive and go through the bond with."

"Which probably means hands off."

"Quiet, Draco. I mean it, if you go through this half-heartedly it's not going to work. Convince each other you're wrong for one another, and don't enter the circle until you're completely convinced you couldn't share your lives."

"It sounds like we need to get started, then," Hermione said quickly. "I'll go talk to Harry, and Loki is going to have to go speak to Thor and Sif."

"You have to get them here by nine so I have time to explain the process and prepare them. Then the two of you must enter the circle at midnight, but you can't speak to them or see them during those two hours," Theo told her.

"I'll make sure Harry's here," she nodded.

"Tell him to get some sleep first. It's going to be draining."

"Okay," she muttered, walking out of the room, Loki following her closely. Without a word they walked off the property and past the wards, towards a large field beyond, standing just inside the treeline as the air started to shift above them. As she looked up she felt something shift next to her, and looked over to see Loki was once again in his Asgardian clothes. Something about the sight caused her heart to drop, and she crossed her arms over herself to fight the growing cold creeping in around her.

"Are you sure?" Hermione asked. "About Thor, I mean."

"I am as loyal to him as I am to anyone," Loki replied. "Though loyalty has not been my strong suit."

"If your mother knew how unhappy this is making you..."

"No. This will be considered disrespectful and somewhat dishonorable. I will not admit that to Mother, not before it happens."

"What are you going to say to them? You won't even remember who I am."

"Your name will hold no meaning if they repeat it. I will remember nothing other than I was able to shed the bond."

She bit her lip and looked at her hands. "Okay. I'll see you later, then," she muttered, turning on the spot and disappearing.

He stared at the spot where she had been for a full minute before turning and walking into the middle of the field, where the Bifrost whisked him away.

XXXXXXXXX

Hermione checked Harry's cottage just outside Godric's Hallow, but when she found it empty she immediately knew that her friend would be at the Burrow with Ginny and James. She walked through his garden slowly, trying to mentally prepare herself for what might be a large gathering of Weasleys. She took a moment to think, remembering it had been less than two weeks since the last time she was at the Burrow, laughing and forgetting her broken engagement for a while. That was before she ever knew that the stories about other realms were real, before that scroll had been laid on her desk, before she ever met Loki. How quickly everything changed, and yet she wanted very few people to know how far off track her life had gone since they last spoke.

"Hermione!" Arthur saw her first after she arrived at the tottering old house, and he stood to give her a hug. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes," she muttered, but by the look on his face she knew he could tell she was lying, and she quickly greeted Percy, Charlie, and Ron to avoid looking at him. "Is Harry here?" she asked.

"He's over in the Quidditch field," he nodded. "George bought the kids their first broomsticks, they've been flying out in the field for the past hour or so."

"Thank you," she forced a smile, and started across the garden.

"Is there anything you need to talk about, Hermione?" he asked, sounding concerned.

"I'll tell you about it later," she lied. "It's just a little problem I need his help dealing with."

She half-jogged, half-ran across the garden, through the small copse of trees that surrounded the field, and found Harry, Ginny, Bill, and George on the other side, watching James, Victorie, and Teddy Lupin flying around on miniature brooms in the tall grass.

"Hey, Granger, how's it going?" Bill smiled as she joined the group.

"I can tell by the look on her face, she's going to say she's fine, but something is really wrong," George announced.

"I really must be that obvious," she sighed.

"Granger, it's been easy to tell when you're under stress from when you were a first year. We've known you seventeen years or so. You can't pull one over on us."

"And we also know you only want to talk to Harry, even though we're family and wish you'd come to us with any problems you're having," Ginny added.

Hermione bit her lip and didn't say anything.

"Fine, we'll get it out of you," George sighed. "On a scale from you were late on an assignment at work to you're pregnant with Malfoy's child, how bad is it?"

She swallowed and took a deep breath. "I'm blood-bound to a god from another realm bad."

They all looked at her in surprised silence for a long moment.

"God from another realm," George repeated. "So... one step above bearing a Malfoy."

"Probably two. It's Loki, known here as the God of Lies."

"Okay, start from the beginning, and work to what brought you here."

Hermione focused on the ground as she gave the quick version of studying the scroll, cutting herself and bleeding on it, being taken to Asgard, fleeing, trying to find a way to break the bond, and finally, the discovery that might free her.

"You know I'll do it," Harry said the moment she finished talking. "Anything you need, Hermione."

She shot him a half-smile. "Thank you."

"Why didn't you tell us earlier?"

"Because I knew if I told you before we had either figured out a way to break the bond or discovered that I was in this forever and it wasn't worth fighting it you'd over-react."

Ginny chuckled. Harry glared at her, but she shrugged. "It's true. You'd probably go try to fight this Loki, which would accomplish nothing."

"Something's still bothering you," George observed, eyes not leaving Hermione.

"It's nothing, really," she shook her head. "It's just been a very stressful situation."

"No, it's not, but I think we've forced your discomfort enough. Get her out of here, Potter, and have the conversation she's not going to say in front of us."

"You do know that your powers of observation can be bloody scary at times?"

"I know. And I love you. Come to me after you're done with all this, I'll buy you enough drinks to help you forget this whole mess."

She forced a smile. "I will," she murmured, and started walking away from the group. Harry quickly caught up, and they walked away from the field, through the copse to a large tree next to a small pond. She sat down, leaning against the tree, and Harry sat next to her, placing an arm around her and pulling her to him.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I kind of left a few things out of the story," she replied.

"I figured you failed to mention a bit. How deep into this are you?"

"Not as deep as I could be, but deep enough this is upsetting."

"I know you. You don't fall in love that quickly."

"I'm not in love," she shook her head. "To say things are complicated with Loki is an understatement. In some ways he is the type of man I would tell any woman to stay away from..."

"Like what?"

"Emotionally unstable, for a start. He's got a lot of anger simmering just under his skin, though he rarely shows it around me. He's manipulative. He's done some truly horrid things. He can be condescending and rude..."

"I'm sensing a but," Harry chuckled.

"I think a lot of it is a combination of feeling like an outsider in his own home, and a defense mechanism to keep from getting close to anyone. He doesn't want an attachment, because an attachment can be used against you, and he doesn't want anyone to have that power over him."

"So that would make him sympathetic to you, and you'd want to help him, but I can't imagine that turning into anything intimate. There must be something more you see in him."

She sighed. "If you discount his flaws, and I admit they're hard to discount, he's very much a man I could see myself falling for in time. He's intelligent, well-spoken, he has moments where he is quite thoughtful, he encourages my pursuits, and values knowledge. I find myself wanting to be around him, and not because I think he's some project I need to fix. I want to be around him because part of me wants to get close to him. We haven't been around each other for very long, and I'm starting to see that there's someone else underneath the appearance he gives off. He carefully crafts the side of him everyone sees, but I think much of that is false."

"You can't fix everyone, Hermione."

"I don't want to fix him, and he doesn't want me to fix him. If you go into any kind of a relationship with the expectation of 'fixing' your partner you're going to fail and be miserable. I don't think he's broken, I just think he's hiding the best parts of himself. It's easier to put up this front and let everyone believe it than put yourself in a situation where you might get horribly hurt."

"Don't know what that's like," he chuckled. "If you really want to get to know him, why are you going through with something that will make you forget him?"

"He wants this," she said simply. "And I'll give him this. His freedom and choice are more important than what I want."

"And what about you? Is this the choice you'd make if it were up to you?"

"The choice is horrid. Either I agree to be bound to him forever, or I choose to never see him again. Should I stay hoping that something about me keeps him from doing something horrible again? Or do I admit that the chances of him doing something like that again are nearly a certainty and realize that it's probably best I don't get involved with someone like him?"

He pulled her tighter in a one-armed hug. "It'll work out. Somehow. Maybe not with him, but perhaps he's shown you something you really want."

"Thanks, Harry," she smiled genuinely.

"And I'll be there tonight, like I promised, but be prepared for Ginny to give you a hard time about being bound to her husband in any form. It's all in good fun, she knows you're no threat."

"If it's any consolation if this works I'm going to be bound to Draco as well."

"Would you have ever guessed you'd wind up in that situation ten years ago?"

"I don't really try to think in terms of too far in the future. I will never know if a path I am on will be right until I'm traveling it, and must decide if it is something I want to follow. Planning ten years in advance locks me into something that might not make me happy."

"And that's why you're smarter than all of us," he rubbed her arm.

She settled against his chest and closed her eyes, trying to clear her mind for just a few minutes. They sat together for fifteen minutes listening to the distant laughter of the children on broomsticks before Harry said, "Just in case this doesn't work, I want you to know I think you'd make a great princess."

"Shut up, you prat," she chuckled.

"Yes, your highness."

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Loki sat on the floor of the banquet room, the one place he found to speak with Thor and Sif where they couldn't be overheard by the guards, or worse, one of the Warriors. He leaned against a podium and closed his eyes as he spoke, not wanting to see their reactions. They didn't ask questions, nor did they make any auditory response, though he heard the occasional rustle of hair or clothes that betrayed they were exchanging glances. He waited a few moments after he finished to let them process the information, then opened his eyes to look at them, daring them to mock him. Neither moved, and each appeared to be deeply thinking about what he had said.

"Mother and Father would not approve of this," Thor said without uncrossing his arms.

"Why do you think I have come to you when my loyalty to Mother is much stronger?" Loki replied.

"I don't understand," Sif said softly. "We spoke to Heimdall. He led us to believe things were going well with the girl."

"Hermione and I have spent a great deal of time together trying to discover a way out of the binding."

"That is not what I meant," she murmured, studying his face.

"Sif," Thor said, warningly, but she didn't back down.

"You were not as discrete as you thought you were," she continued.

"A physical attraction does not mean that we would be able to maintain something long-term," Loki replied rather pointedly.

"Why not?" she demanded.

"Sif," Thor tried again.

"No. I am being asked to risk Allfather's anger as I disobey yet another order, after I have been told I am walking a precarious line for my defiance as of late, as well go against something I believe could be very beneficial to you, and I would like a good reason to agree or I will not."

"How would you know what would be beneficial to me?" Loki sneered.

"Because we saw the book," she admitted. "Your mother sent us to discover what we could about Hermione. We went to the apartment as well, found the book you left behind. That girl is everything a man like you needs. I do not believe the binding was an accident. I believe some form of magic recognized that she is a good match and ensured you were bound together. Why would I go against that?"

"Because she does not want it," he snapped. "I will not force her to stay with this against her will if there is a way to free her."

Thor and Sif wore identical looks of surprise.

"I will help you," Sif said, standing. "But I think you should reconsider. I can see she has already had an effect on you."

He glared at her.

"I will get the horses ready. We will have to leave swiftly," she murmured, and she left them alone.

Thor moved to sit next to Loki.

"If you are going to tell me she is right you can spare your words, brother," Loki said softly.

"I have long since given up on attempting to change your mind," Thor replied in a low voice. "You are not a man who is easily reasoned with."

"Then why do I feel you are about to try?"

"I merely wished to ask what your feelings are about breaking the bond?"

"Is it really that concerning to you?" he sneered.

"I know you feel as though I have no concerns for you or how you are coping with everything that has happened, however you are my brother..." Loki made a scoffing noise, and Thor continued, "...and I do feel as though the girl's emotions should not be the only ones we discuss."

"My feelings for Hermione are immaterial. In a few hours I will not remember her."

"Does that upset you?"

Loki didn't respond, but he stood and grabbed an apple from a bowl, turning it in his hands and staring at it.

"Have you spoken to her about your feelings for her?"

"She has wanted freedom from the bond since the moment she realized it was in place. I do not wish to be bound to someone who will resent that I did not allow her to have her freedom."

"If you spoke to her..."

"She will not change her mind," he snapped. "She has made that clear."

"Was that before or after you were with her physically?"

He paused. "Our physical connection has no bearing on her feeling about the bond."

"What about you?" he asked, leaning forward into Loki's line of sight. "If it were up to you and only you, would you still go through with this?"

"It is irrelevant."

"You are wrong. If you do not wish to break this bond, you should speak to Lady Granger. She may surprise you. Or do you fear that very thing?"

"What would I fear from that girl?" he sneered.

"That she might actually be someone who could love you."

He rolled his eyes.

"Love is not a weakness, Loki," he said softly as he stood. "You may find that loving someone such as Lady Granger may make you even stronger."

Loki threw the apple against the wall, where one side flattened in a spray of juice and pulp.

Thor waited a moment as Loki's flash of anger subsided. "We must go, or Mother and Father will suspect."

Loki didn't say a word as he followed his brother from the room.

XXXXXXXXXX

It was five to nine when Loki walked back into the chateau, and found Hermione, Draco, Harry, and Theo talking in the entrance hall. Hermione flashed him a smile before her face fell back into concern as Thor and Sif entered. For a moment the two groups just looked at each other, then Harry stepped forward, stretching a hand out.

"You must be Loki," he said, shaking Loki's hand. "I'm Harry Potter, Her..."

"Hermione's best friend, and the one she has been most loyal to throughout the years," Loki finished for him. "You have chosen your friend well."

"From what it sounds like your bond chose your partner well, but well apparently isn't enough."

Confusion flashed across Loki's face. "I did not intend to slight her, if that is what you mean."

"Not quite," he replied, but he didn't elaborate before turning to introduce himself to Thor and Sif.

"I'm going to prepare them," Theo announced. "But remember, you're supposed to find something you cannot forgive the other to build the wall between you. You cannot see any of us again until midnight, and when you enter the circle where we will be doing this, you must do so with no reservations about going through with this, or you're going to mess it up. If you need another day, tell us, we'll prepare, but the longer you go, the harder it's going to be to go through with this."

Hermione and Loki nodded in unison. They looked at each other and wordlessly started walking up to her room, their hands entwining automatically as they walked around the corner.

"What do you want to bet they are not going to spend the next three hours doing what you told them to do?" Draco asked Theo dryly.

"Why wouldn't they?" Harry asked.

"Don't be thick, Potter," he sneered. "They've been completely unable to keep their hands to themselves for the last week."

"Why are we here, then?"

"Because they are stubborn to the point of stupidity," Theo rolled his eyes.

"You noticed that as well?" Thor smirked. "Loki is quite insistent his reason for this is to fulfill Lady Granger's wishes."

"Funny, Hermione said the she was going through with it for him," Harry shook his head.

"Do you think we will accomplish the separation?" Sif asked.

"Not a chance in hell," Draco shook his head. "Maybe if we had discovered it before they had started sleeping together, hell, even if we had gotten to them when it was just fucking and they refused to see any form of emotion behind it, we may have been able to pull it off. But not now. Would you like a drink? I could use a drink. I'll prepare like they're going to be stubborn until it fails, but if they go through with this and it works I'll eat a hippogriff."

Upstairs Hermione opened the door to her room, and as soon as the door closed Loki pushed her against it, his lips catching hers in a long, slow kiss. But she noticed something different, he was less rough, less forceful. His hands ran over her, but they moved slower, lingering when they touched exposed skin. She inhaled deeply, and wondered if everything about Loki would leave her after the ceremony, or if she'd smell something that reminded her of him, and would fight to place the familiar scent. She wasn't sure which would be worse. The very thought caused a heaviness in her chest, and she leaned into him, craving the feeling of him, as if doing so would somehow cement something far enough in her brain that she couldn't possibly forget him. She pushed the heavy jacket from his shoulders, and heard it crumple to the floor. Reluctantly she broke apart from him long enough for him to pull her shirt over her head, pull her bra off, and rid himself of his tunic. He carefully lifted her into his arms and laid her on the bed, laying next to her, his hands sliding up her torso to her breasts. She moaned into his mouth as her hands tightened on his shoulders. When his mouth trailed from hers she lazily twirled her fingers into his hair. It was amazing, she realized, how well they physically knew each other for as little time as they had been sleeping together. For example he knew he could kiss the curse scar across her chest but could not put too much pressure on it without causing her discomfort. She knew any attempt to restrain him, even playfully, would cause him to tense and make him aggressive. He preferred to have some form of control, and she was willing to allow him the lead.

Their lovemaking took half their time, as neither was in a rush to give up the physical intimacy they had found in each other. While her orgasm still caused her brain to go fuzzy there was a sadness that came with it, and the thought that it would be their last time together. After they laid together, and she realized how much she craved feeling him physically against her. The thought was almost too much to bear, and she knew if she waited much longer she would destroy any chance of giving him his coveted freedom.

"Have you figured out what you cannot forgive about me?" she asked suddenly.

"No," he replied against her skin. "You are a difficult woman in which to find fault."

"I'm having a similar problem."

"Than you have not paid attention to my past," he chuckled.

"I have," she murmured. "And I do not find anything unforgivable in it," she admitted quietly.

"You are too forgiving," he replied. "Too compassionate."

"I would not forgive those transgressions to just anyone."

Silence hung in the air for a long moment.

"What do you think I should not forgive about you?" she asked. "You are going to have to give me something."

"I will confess that my original plan for dealing with this bond was to kill you."

She raised an eyebrow.

"I thought," he continued, "That if I played along with what I thought was a farce of a bond long enough to convince those around me that I was in love, should my love meet a sudden and untimely end that they would be too busy trying to keep me calm to investigate the possibility that I had a hand in it. There would be rumors, there always are when I am even marginally involved, but if I made it seem that I was so distraught I may be planning some terrifying display of my grief I could stem those rumors long enough that proving my involvement would be impossible."

"Should I be frightened?" she asked.

"No," he shook his head emphatically. "Killing one such as you would be unforgivable in any realm. However, if it would help you find something you cannot forgive about me, perhaps I should leave doubt in your mind."

There was a knock at the door. "Mistress Granger, Harold has been asked to inform you it is half past eleven. You are expected at the ceremony shortly."

"Thank you," Hermione murmured, and she heard a crack as the house elf left.

"I must prepare myself," Loki murmured. He looked at her a long moment, then slid off the bed, suddenly fully clothed, and left her alone. In his departure she finally found what she could not forgive him for, as weak as it may be. She could not forgive him for still wanting to get rid of their bind. She wished there was something more, something more solid, but it would have to do. It was the only way to free him so he could make his own choice.

At five to midnight she walked out of the door towards a large fire. As she approached she saw Theo waiting with a thick book. A large circle had been drawn in the ground around the fire. On one side of the circle, standing like sentries on either side of a break in the line, were Harry and Draco. Thor and Sif stood exactly opposite, and as she watched Loki appeared between them, though he refused to look at her.

"Hermione and Loki," Theo announced as a far off church bell stroked midnight. "You are to enter the circle, thinking of why you cannot be bound, and turn your back on your bond mate."

Hermione took a deep breath and started forward. She fought to keep any emotion from crossing her face as she walked towards Loki.

_He doesn't want this,_ she repeated. _He does not want me. He is rejecting me. I cannot forgive someone who rejects me. I cannot forgive someone who does not want to love me._

When she and Loki were about six inches from each other they stopped. She needed to look one more time, knowing that when she turned her back it would be the last she saw of him, the last she remembered him. It was the end of whatever they had, and she had to let him go. Their eyes locked, and she saw something foreign in his eyes. With anyone else she would call it fear, but what could Loki possibly fear in that moment?

"Turn your back on your bond mate," Theo announced.

Hermione tried to force her body to move, but it wouldn't obey. She tried to give her body simple commands, nothing that, in and of itself, would turn, though the end product would be the same. It was time to let go. It was time to give Loki what he wanted...

She realized then that he hadn't moved, either. They stood, staring at each other, each breathing heavily, but neither making the first move.

"Your freedom," she whispered, trying to encourage her body to move.

"You wished me to make my own choice?" he asked softly.

"Yes. That's all I want for you. For something as important as this to be in your control."

"Then I have made it," he said, reaching out to place a hand on her face.

"Me?" she murmured, pressing her face into his hand.

"If you will have me. If you will not, I will know why I must turn away from you, and I will finally have a reason."

She replied by throwing herself into his arms and kissed him.

"Hermione," he muttered. "I cannot make promises of the man I will be. You may still yet find something you cannot forgive me."

"It's a risk I'm willing to take," she kissed him again.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: This is the last chapter, and it is pretty much an epilogue. I wish I had more time to grow the relationship, but the time constraint got to me.  
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_One year later..._

Hermione sighed in exasperation and put her head down on the desk.

"Are all American government officials as easy to deal with as you, or did I just draw the short straw?" she grumbled, frustrated than an hour of talking with the two men had not yielded a single result.

"If you think we're being unreasonable, you should try talking to a politician," Agent Phil Coulson joked darkly.

"I somewhat am," she pointed out as she sat back up. "This is all political, isn't it?" she asked, turning to Nick Fury, who was sitting across from her, staring at her contemplatively. "It's all about power. You have a very powerful object in your possession, and you're loathe to give it up because it is powerful, even though you have fuck-all when it comes to ideas on how to deal with the thing."

"The only reason we're considering using it is because of Asgard's recent activities here on Earth," Fury replied.

"The Destroyer?" she scoffed. "I know you lot like to make everything personal, but really, that was only here to destroy Thor. What happened was collateral damage."

"Just because that one was collateral damage does not mean that the next time some other realm comes to visit they will be so disinterested with the inhabitants of this planet," he shot back.

"Having it here is putting out a bloody welcome mat!" she nearly shouted. "The fact that you lot have activated it has caught the attention of more than just Asgard, and trust me when I say that you won't find another realm that will attempt to get the tesseract in such a peaceful manner. What, exactly, is your plan in six months or a year when someone comes down and tries to extract it by force? Do you honestly think you'll know enough about it to have a weapon ready?"

"And we're just supposed to give it to Asgard?"

"You're supposed to give it someone who understands that kind of power isn't something to fuck with," Draco finally jumped into the conversation with a trademark sneer.

Fury shot him a scathing look. "Our problem, Miss Granger, is that we have solid evidence of other, much more powerful realms, and we don't have much in the way of protecting ourselves in the event that one decide to come invade."

"I would first like it to be known that Earth is and has always been under the protection of Asgard, and my very role is to make sure that relationship stays friendly. That said, Midgard is not a high-value target, unless you do something stupid like waving the bloody tesseract around without knowing exactly what it is or how to properly use it. It, and Midgard, would be much safer if it wasn't here under the protection of some relatively fragile beings."

"Fragile?" Coulson raised an eyebrow.

"What would you prefer? In comparison humans have shorter lives, they aren't as strong, nor as unified, and their bodies tend to be slightly more breakable."

"Don't you mean 'our'?"

"I used to, but when I took this position I got some improvements."

"It's the least they could give you," Draco mumbled.

"And what exactly is your position?" Fury asked, leaning onto the table.

"I am the link between Asgard and Midgard. I am from Midgard, so I know a lot about us, our capabilities, and our realm, and I have access to them and information about them. So if our realms need to talk I am supposed to be the impartial intermediary."

"You're from here. Wouldn't that make you naturally skew towards us?" Coulson pointed out.

"You're discounting the boyfriend... sorry, _bondmate_," Draco sneered.

"Shut up, ferret," Hermione hissed.

"I am not in the mood for relationship drama," Fury snapped.

"Nor am I. All I am interested in is getting that object somewhere safe," she said, nodding at the case containing the tesseract. "And I really am trying to be nice about it."

"Is that a threat?"

"No, a threat would be me saying I would grab the thing and be gone before you knew I left if we can't come to a reasonable decision soon, but that probably wouldn't help anything."

Fury and Coulson exchanged looks, and Coulson inched toward the door.

"You are making the assumption that I need the door," she smiled.

"We're forty stories up behind shatter-proof glass, and that door is the only way out. How do you plan on getting out without it?" Fury asked.

"I'd tell you, but I do not want to make long winded explanations," she replied. "Though I do know you just stationed another six guards outside. So much for trust."

They stared each other down for a long moment. "What is your end game, Miss Granger?" he finally asked.

"My end game is to get the tesseract somewhere that won't make Midgard a target, and to do it with as much diplomacy as possible. As I said, if I wanted it gone by force, it would be gone already, and you'd be scratching your head wondering how the hell I did it, and that is if I let you remember. Odin seems to think that diplomacy is preferable, even with bull-headed government officials. He wants us to try to work this out so we're still on good terms."

"You must appreciate the situation from our side. You're asking us to hand over an extremely powerful object, and get nothing in return."

"I would think ending the chance of an invasion for the thing would count for something."

"And invasion we have to take your word about. How do we know Asgard isn't going to be the one invading?"

Her jaw tightened for a moment. "We have several Asgardians fighting on other realms to _prevent_ any possible upcoming invasion. They are already fighting for you."

"We have nothing but your word on that, too."

"What would satisfy you?" she asked.

"How about Asgard gives us a good faith gesture?"

"Such as?"

"The one who destroyed Puente Antiguo."

"Not going to happen," she shook her head.

"Why not?"

"Besides the fact that he's been punished for that? He wouldn't take kindly to being imprisoned, and, to be honest, it would probably cause a bigger mess if he thought he had been abandoned by his realm. Trust me, Loki is not keen on becoming some token prisoner, and, as you may have noticed, when he doesn't get his way things tend to go bad quickly."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Coulson asked.

"It means if he gets angry he is unstable, and he'd be smiling as he stabbed you in the back," Draco sneered. "And I don't trust any of your prisons to hold him for very long."

"Name another price," Hermione finished.

Fury was quiet for a moment as he looked her over. "How did you get your position, Ms. Granger?"

"What do you mean?"

"Seven billion plus people on the planet, Ms. Granger, and Asgard decided you were the one they were going to exalt. Why?"

"Short version? There was this magic scroll that came into my possession. It had a list of attributes for a woman, and when it found a woman who contained those attributes it blood-bound her to the position."

"What kind of traits was it looking for?"

"Bravery, loyalty, intelligence, cunning, compassion, among others."

"Those traits could describe any number of people. And your companion here let slip something about a bondmate..."

"Yes, the scroll was somewhat of an arranged marriage to the woman who found herself bound to it," she snapped. "So I am bound to a high-level Asgardian, but that is neither here nor there."

"Why would Asgard bind one of their own to some random human girl? It doesn't make sense. There has to be something more, Miss Granger. Remember who you are dealing with. We are well aware there are humans all over this planet with extraordinary abilities, hell, we have a tendency to employ them when we can," he paused, eye narrowing as he scrutinized her. "What is your extraordinary ability?"

Hermione glanced at Draco, who shrugged.

"What is the security level in this room?" she asked.

"High," Coulson replied.

"Make it higher, and nothing gets recorded from here on out."

It was Fury and Coulson's turn to exchange looks, then Fury typed a few things on a keyboard in front of him, and the cameras in the corner of the room turned off. Under the table, unseen by either of the SHIELD employees, Draco pulled out his wand and cast a spell that would interfere with any hidden electronic equipment.

"What can you do, Miss Granger?" Fury asked.

"Magic," she replied. "And I am not the only one. There is a whole world you don't know about, Director Fury."

"Magic," he repeated softly.

"Yes. We keep hidden because we have been historically feared, but if you want an example of how poorly you are prepared for us to be out in the open I suggest you look over the hard times Britain went through in 1996 through 1998. And that wasn't even us in the open, that was us holding our own war. Non magical humans were just bystanders, much like Puente Antiguo."

If Fury was disconcerted by Hermione's information he didn't show it. "If there was a global threat, would the magical community stay hidden?" he asked after a long pause.

"We're human, too," she replied. "We have families we will protect. A dire enough threat would get us out of hiding."

"So, perhaps, your liaison duties should not be limited to Midgard and Asgard."

"You want me to be the intermediary between SHEILD and the magical world?"

"In the event of a full scale threat to the planet," he nodded. "I'm assuming anything less than the imminent destruction of the planet would warrant a 'fuck off' response from your world."

"At least you harbor no fantasies about what kind of relationship this is going to be," she sighed. "Does that mean you will be giving me the tesseract?"

He paused. "The security council will never approve me doing that."

"The security council will not even remember they had any such objections," she said with a faint smirk. "I had a contingency plan coming here today. There are undercover obliviators nearby each of the council members, and stationed near anyone who has knowledge of the tesseract, ready to modify their memories to make them believe it is too dangerous and unstable to use. The international magical community doesn't feel comfortable with something so magically powerful in the hands of those who are not used to the power of an object like that. If you did not agree to surrender it we would have gone to our contingency plan, which is wipe the thing from the memories of everyone involved and walk off with it."

"Then why bother coming here to speak with me at all?"

"Asgard feels it would not bode well for a peace between our realms if we start stealing things, they have a bit of an honor code. And if we do it this way it'll be known we got it out and hopefully make Midgard less of a target."

"Why did you come here instead of to the president?"

She smirked, "We all know that government officials are never the highest level of power, even if that is what the majority of people think. There are always those who control more than most people will ever know."

Fury thought for several minutes.

"Do you honestly think something of that power belongs in a world where we can't even refrain from attacking and killing each other in the most spectacular fashion we can think of?" she asked softly as his expression became more unsure.

He exhaled loudly and nodded. "Agree to be that liaison, and to make sure the council doesn't flay me alive, and I'll let it go."

"Agreed," she nodded.

Slowly, as if he were having second thoughts, he pushed the suitcase containing the tesserct across the table to her. She checked inside to make sure everything is in order, then stood.

"Miss Granger?" he asked as she went to go out.

"Yes?"

"I'm putting together this... project. A group of the best fighters I have access to. Your ability and your mind seem like they would fit in. Would that interest you?"

"I'll come back same time next week to discuss it," she nodded. She and Draco were escorted down to street level, and out to a car provided by the American ministry.

"Keep it as Muggle as possible," Hermione ordered the driver. "They're going to follow us."

"Yes, ma'am," he said, sliding up a opaque partition. Hermione immediately started moving. In the back of the darkened car she opened the suitcase, duplicating the tesseract. She pulled a mokeskin pouch out of her bag, wrapped the tesseract carefully with some cloth, and placed it into the pouch, and the pouch into an inconspicuous box.

"Is this going to work?" he asked.

"There's four people in the universe who know this plan. I trust all of them."

"I don't."

"Shut up, ferret. He is not even one of the four."

"You are not a pleasant woman to be around when you've gone too long between shags, do you know that?"

"Draco..." she warned.

"What has it been? Two months?"

"Two and a half," she corrected.

"And you haven't heard anything?"

"No."

He was silent for a couple minutes. "They would tell you if something went wrong, you know."

"I just hope they're not waiting to ambush me with the news when I get back."

"Don't be so pessimistic. It would be so...un-Granger of you."

"Un-Granger?" she chuckled. "You have been so fond of telling me that you hardly recognize me over the past year or so. How can something be un-Granger if I have supposedly changed so much?"

"Don't speak logic," he smiled. "Are you sure this is going to work?" he asked, holding the box containing the tesseract.

"Relatively. I won't know where it is, you won't be able to get it out. It'll take both of us to retrieve the thing. That will be safe until we can figure out what to do with it more permanently."

"Alright," he murmured, still sounding somewhat unsure. "How long are you going to be gone?"

"Don't know," she shrugged. "If he's not back I'll probably come to the chateau tonight for some of Sabbi's sweets and some firewhiskey."

"I'll keep an eye out," he smiled. "If he is there?"

"As you so kindly pointed out, it has been two and a half months," she murmured with a smirk.

"Ruddy hell," he rolled his eyes as the car came to a halt in the middle of a densely wooded area. Draco carefully put the box into a small bag he was carrying while Hermione gathered the suitcase.

"Ready for our performance?" she asked softly.

"Of course. What kind of Slytherin would I be if I weren't prepared for a little deception?"

He got out first and helped her out.

"Are you sure you want to take that thing to them?" he asked, loud enough for any surveillance equipment that may be trained on them to hear.

She opened the case and looked at the fake tesseract. "I think it's really my only option right now. It's safer there," she said, snapping the case closed.

"Are you leaving from here?"

"No," she shook her head. "Puente Antigua."

"Just... be safe. And get that thing somewhere safe."

"I will," she nodded, and she gave him a quick hug. She pulled a pen out of her pocket and clicked it, activating the portkey, which took her to the New Mexico Bifrost site. She made a show of straightening herself up, enough time to give SHIELD a chance to confirm she was there, before looking skyward. The Bifrost picking her up was sudden, and a short trip later she landed in front of Heimdall.

"Did it work?" she asked.

"They left Master Malfoy after you departed," he confirmed. "They have no suspicions."

"And the others?"

"Your teams worked exactly as you instructed. It is now believed that you did them a favor by taking the object off Midgard."

"Good," she said, stepping onto the bridge and throwing the suitcase over the side. She and Heimdall watched it together until it was out of her sight.

"I have lost sight of Master Malfoy," Heimdall announced. "Will you now inform me where it truly is?"

"In a Gringotts vault, though which one in which branch I do not know, nor do I want to know. Draco can't get it out of the mokeskin bag, and I do not know where the bag is. It is safest this way."

"You have become quite skilled at deception," he smiled.

"I learned from the best. Speaking of which..."

"You are being summoned," he said, looking towards the palace.

"Is it him?" she asked, trying not to show too much excitement.

"You are being summoned," he repeated, nodding towards a horse that was running down the bridge. "Odin wishes to know if you succeeded."

She sighed, climbing onto the horse. She bid the gatekeeper goodbye and rode as quickly as she dared towards the palace. Odin and Frigga stood on the steps, and each smiled as she approached and dismounted, handing the reins to a guard. She walked toward the king and queen, dropping to one knee and placing her fist over her heart when she had nearly reached them.

"How goes your task, Lady Granger?" Odin asked, motioning for her to rise.

"It is secured," she announced. "I do not know it's exact location, however I am the only one who can retrieve it from its case."

"We have much to discuss concerning its permanent security, but I thank you for delaying the urgency of that problem."

"You're welcome. Anything I can do to help."

"I have a matter I must attend to, however, there is a feast being set in the dining hall. Frigga, perhaps you can escort Lady Granger somewhere she can freshen herself?"

"This way," Frigga smiled, motioning up the steps.

Hermione fell into step beside her, and waited until they were away from others before asking, "Is there any news?"

"These things take time," she replied.

Hermione sighed.

"Will you be staying with us?"

"I haven't made a decision one way or the other," she shrugged. "I finished all my work at the bank for this week, and they currently do not have anything scheduled to come in, so I really have nothing to do. Maybe I'll stay a day or two and wander around the city. Again."

"If there is anything you need, I bid you call for me," she said, suddenly stopping.

"What's..." Hermione started, looking around.

"I do believe you would prefer a reunion away from his mother's eyes. I shall see you in the dining hall later."

"Reunion?" she felt a wide smile cross her face, and she quickly turned the corner. At the other end of the corridor she could see Loki and Thor talking. Without thinking she started running towards the dark-haired brother, who noticed her and turned to greet her. But she didn't stop, throwing herself into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist, and crashing her lips into his.

"Brother," Thor said, voice thick with amusement. "Perhaps a little decorum is in order?"

Loki broke away just enough to reply, "You are a fool if you think I wield any of the control in this situation."

"What the hell took you so long?" she demanded.

"We may have been misinformed about certain things," he said dismissively as he lowered her, though their arms remained around each other. "We handled the situation."

"You said two weeks. It has been two and a half months."

"I wrote you. Several times. If my memory is not faulty I even mentioned there would be delays."

"You are quite skilled at saying a lot without really telling anything."

"My apologies, milady," he smirked. "The days were long, and I lost sense of how much time had passed. Did you worry?"

"I knew Heimdall would have told me if something horrid had happened, but a little clearer communication would have been nice."

"I heard rumor you had your own tasks to attend to while I was gone."

"Yes, I did, and I took care of it, and that's all I'm going to tell you because the less people know what I did, the less likely the information is to fall into the wrong hands."

"Do you not trust me?" he raised an eyebrow.

"I'd be a fool to," she shot back cheekily.

"A wise woman," Thor chuckled.

"I'm not telling you, either," she said, and the sound of laughter drifted in from the hall behind him.

"I need to go change," she said, looking down at her jeans and t-shirt.

"This way," Loki said, offering her an arm.

"I shall make an excuse for your tardiness," Thor smirked, turning to join the group in the dining hall.

"Are we that predictable?" Hermione asked, watching him go.

"That is not my concern at the moment," he said, grabbing her wrist and leading her through a passage. Hermione had thoughts of stopping in one of the corridors to recreate their first time together, but it seemed as though there were a guard around every corner. Loki scooped her into his arms as the door to his chamber opened, then slammed shut behind them. He deposited her on the large, plush bed, as she was already starting to pull her jumper over her head.

"Eager?" he smirked.

"Bloody hell, Loki, I have gone two and a half months. If you don't start something right this very moment I will do it myself," she growled, finishing undressing.

"Now that might be a sight worth watching," he raised an eyebrow.

"Loki..." she warned.

"Very well, milady," he smiled, dropping his jacket to the ground and pulling his tunic over his head. He climbed on top her, passionately kissing her as she let off a sigh of satisfaction and wrapped her arms around him. His fingers slipped between them, skimming against her nub before sliding into her, and he growled as he found her wet. She felt his hand move to push his pants down just enough to free himself and push roughly into her. There was no pause to re-aquatint their bodies, either, he immediately pulled most of the way out before driving roughly into her.

What they were doing would hardly qualify as 'lovemaking', she thought later. At that moment they were both only interested in achieving physical release as quickly as possible. He broke away from her lips, lowering his head immediately to her breasts to kiss and nip as his hands roughly massaged the orbs. She scratched her fingers up his back and tightened her legs against him, forcing a new angle. She felt her body starting to tighten, but she was impatient. As though they had communicated their desire to each other he pulled away from her as she turned over, raising up on her hands and knees. He did not hesitate to drive back into her, hands tightly holding her hips and pulling her against him. Her cries reverberated around the spacious chamber, becoming higher and shorter as her body tightened even more. Without warning his hand pulled her up by the hair so she was kneeling, head on his shoulder, and his other hand slid around her front to circle furiously at her nub.

"Come, my witch," he ordered. "Let me feel what you have been holding back for me."

As her body had done countless times before it obeyed his command, coming apart at the order with a cry of his name, body slumping forward as she felt her muscles temporarily fall out of her control. But he held her in place, thrusting roughly into her a few more times before finishing with a grunt and a final deep thrust.

The sex may have been rough, but the moment it was over Loki turned tender again, carefully cradling her as he lowered her to the bed and took her in his arms. He held her in silence for several minutes as they reveled in the feeling of being together again.

"I feel like skipping the festivities," she murmured, kissing the skin of his forearm.

"Mother would be disappointed if we didn't make an appearance," he pointed out.

"People have often learned to live with disappointment."

"And father expects us there, as he wishes to make a speech that involves both of us."

"Damn. That one is a little harder to worm out of," she grumbled, sitting up. "I suppose we should go."

He made a small noise of protest, but allowed her to slip from the bed, watching her as she walked toward the closet, where Frigga had stored several outfits for her use. They got dressed quickly, and Hermione stood at a mirror, taming her hair into a bun when she noticed something. She picked up the familiar box from a nearby table and opened it, revealing the ring he had shown her a year prior at the bank. She stared at it for a long moment in silence before Loki came up behind her.

"If memory serves me correctly, we had agreed that you would not wear that ring until we affirmed that we would be keeping the bond in place. Seeing as it has been a year..."

"I know," she muttered, closing the box. "But... it doesn't feel right. You mother wanted us to use this as the traditional symbol, but it isn't used for someone who is bound to someone else, it is used as a promise to get married."

He leaned close to her ear before saying, "Then put it on, and we shall wed," and walking towards the door.

She watched him go in surprise for a long moment before rushing after him. "What the hell do you mean by that?" she asked as she caught up with him.

"I was unaware that I had made an ambiguous statement."

"Was that your idea of a marriage proposal?"

"Would you prefer I get down on one knee and spout romantic prose?" he asked.

"No, that would be ghastly!"

"Perhaps, then, you should make a decision as to wanting to wed."

"Well, of course I want to, but you can certainly be an unromantic prat."

He stopped suddenly, grabbing her wrist to turn her and press her against the wall, kissing her slowly. "I wish you to be my wife, Hermione," he murmured against her lips.

"I guess I have a wedding to plan, then," she replied with a nervous chuckle. Quickly she looked both ways, and finding the corridor clear she added, "But I'm not starting quite yet," before pulling him into the deserted library and delaying their entrance to the feast even longer.


End file.
